Dictionary

spy en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /spaɪ/

Etymology

From Middle English spien, aphetic variant of earlier espien (“to espy”), from Old French espier (“to spy”), from Frankish *spehōn (“to spy”), from Proto-Germanic *spehōną (“to see, look”), from Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- (“to look”). Akin to German spähen (“to spy”), Dutch spieden (“to spy”). The noun displaced native Old English sċēawere (literally “watcher”), which was also the word for "mirror." In this sense, the verb displaced Old English sċēawian, which was also the word for "to watch" and became the Modern English word show. Distant cognate vie PIE with Latin speculātor, Ancient Greek κατάσκοπος (katáskopos). Compare typologically Russian согляда́тай (sogljadátaj) (akin to гляде́ть (gljadétʹ)).

Meanings

1. A person who secretly watches and examines the actions of other individuals or organizations and gathers information on them (usually to gain an advantage).
   • Even without hovering drones, a lurking assassin, a thumping score and a denouement, the real-life story of Edward Snowden, a rogue spy on the run, could be straight out of the cinema. But, as with Hollywood, the subplots and exotic locations may distract from the real message: America’s discomfort and its foes’ glee. 2013 June 29, “Travels and travails”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8842, page 55:
   • The dead leap at the throat, destroy The meaning of the day; dark forms Have scaled your walls, and spies betray Old secrets to amorphous swarms. 1941, Theodore Roethke, “Feud”, in Open House, New York, N.Y.: Alfred A[braham] Knopf, →OCLC; republished in The Collected Poems of Theodore Roethke, London: Faber and Faber […], 1968, →OCLC, page 4:
2. A defensive player assigned to cover an offensive backfield player man-to-man when they are expected to engage in a running play, but the offensive player does not run with the ball immediately.

Forms

Deriveds

spyplane · spycatcher · spy-fi · spycatching · Spygate · spybot · spycraft · spy dust · spyship · spymistress · spy ring · spyless · spyism · spy-hopping · counterspy · spyboat · spydom · spy cop · spyess · antispy · spyproof · spy money · bespy · spycore · spywork · spy-hop · spy satellite · superspy · co-spy · cyberspy · spyhole · spylike · spycam · Eurospy · spymaster

Holonyms

intelligence agency · cell · secret service · HUMINT

Hypernyms

person · intelligence asset

Hyponyms

counterspy · pavement artist · molehunter · wiretapper · informant · sleeper agent · double agent · triple agent · honeypot · mole · wheel artist

Synonyms

espial · undie · spy · secret agent · espy · spook · espy · intelligencer · intelligencer · ghost

Translations (212)

sh шпѝјӯнка (person who secretly watches) · ja 回し者 (person who secretly watches) · pdt Spiejoon (person who secretly watches) · ko 간첩 (person who secretly watches) · pa ਖਬਰਗੀਰ (person who secretly watches) · hi जासूस (person who secretly watches) · arc 𐡂𐡅𐡔𐡊𐡀 (person who secretly watches) · ar جَاسُوس (person who secretly watches) · fr espionne (person who secretly watches) · nrf êpieux (person who secretly watches) · kmr casûs (person who secretly watches) · pl szpieg (person who secretly watches) · hi गुप्तचर (person who secretly watches) · ps جاسوس (person who secretly watches) · vi gián điệp (person who secretly watches) · ms pengintip (person who secretly watches) · vo spionan (person who secretly watches) · ga brathadóir (person who secretly watches) · tr casus (person who secretly watches) · ja スパイ (person who secretly watches) · he מרגלת (person who secretly watches) · tt шпион (person who secretly watches) · lo ໃສ້ເສິກ (person who secretly watches) · sq përgjues (person who secretly watches) · got 𐍆𐌴𐍂𐌾𐌰 (person who secretly watches) · os шпион (person who secretly watches) · mr हेर (person who secretly watches) · az casus (person who secretly watches) · ja 忍びの者 (person who secretly watches) · ug جاسۇس (person who secretly watches) · ab а́шьклаԥшҩы (person who secretly watches) · ro spioană (person who secretly watches) · te వేగు (person who secretly watches) · th สายลับ (person who secretly watches) · sw jasusi (person who secretly watches) · cs špión (person who secretly watches) · hu spion (person who secretly watches) · ko 밀정 (person who secretly watches) · cmn 間諜 /间谍 (person who secretly watches) · bg шпио́нин (person who secretly watches) · nl spion (person who secretly watches) · be шпег (person who secretly watches) · ur جاسُوس (person who secretly watches) · ja 忍者 (person who secretly watches) · sk sliedička (person who secretly watches) · sw mpelelezi (person who secretly watches) · be шпіён (person who secretly watches) · tl batyaw (person who secretly watches) · mi tūtei (person who secretly watches) · nv naalchiʼí (person who secretly watches) · av жасус (person who secretly watches) · ce шпион (person who secretly watches) · be шпіёнка (person who secretly watches) · mk шпион (person who secretly watches) · mt spjun (person who secretly watches) · th จารชน (person who secretly watches) · bg шпио́нка (person who secretly watches) · ky тыңчы (person who secretly watches) · nl spionne (person who secretly watches) · ja 間諜 (person who secretly watches) · be шпік (person who secretly watches) · ka ჯაშუში (person who secretly watches) · sh у̀хода (person who secretly watches) · lbe ясус (person who secretly watches) · lo ຈາລະບຸລຸດ (person who secretly watches) · ja 密使 (person who secretly watches) · st tlhwela (person who secretly watches) · ug ئىشپىيون (person who secretly watches) · es chivato (person who secretly watches) · bbj bâ class 1 (person who secretly watches) · fa-ira جاسوس (person who secretly watches) · sl vohunka (person who secretly watches) · sh шпѝјӯн (person who secretly watches) · lv spiedze (person who secretly watches) · fa-ira گوش (person who secretly watches) · te గూఢచారి (person who secretly watches) · arc גשושא (person who secretly watches) · tk içaly (person who secretly watches) · cs vyzvědačka (person who secretly watches) · cs vyzvědač (person who secretly watches) · nan-hbl 間諜 /间谍 (person who secretly watches) · sv kunskapare (person who secretly watches) · sv spion (person who secretly watches) · pa ਜਸੂਸ (person who secretly watches) · fa-ira ایشِه (person who secretly watches) · sl vohun (person who secretly watches) · txb pälkostau (person who secretly watches) · xaa دَيْسُوس (person who secretly watches) · vo hispionan (person who secretly watches) · ka შპიონი (person who secretly watches) · ru аге́нт (person who secretly watches) · tg шпион (person who secretly watches) · aii ܓܵܫܘܿܫܵܐ (person who secretly watches) · tyv шивишкин (person who secretly watches) · uk шпиг (person who secretly watches) · uk шпигу́н (person who secretly watches) · ru шпик (person who secretly watches) · mg mitsikilo (person who secretly watches) · lo ເຊີຽ (person who secretly watches) · ja 忍び (person who secretly watches) · zza casus (person who secretly watches) · kmr diznêr (person who secretly watches) · de Spitzel (person who secretly watches) · id mata-mata (person who secretly watches) · mt spija (person who secretly watches) · hy լրտես (person who secretly watches) · ajp جَاسُوس (person who secretly watches) · fr espion (person who secretly watches) · xcl գուշակ (person who secretly watches) · bn গুপ্তচর (person who secretly watches) · sh ùhoda (person who secretly watches) · my သူလျှို (person who secretly watches) · oc espion (person who secretly watches) · kk шпион (person who secretly watches) · kmr şofar (person who secretly watches) · ro spion (person who secretly watches) · kmr xefnêr (person who secretly watches) · hu kémnő (person who secretly watches) · arc ܓܫܘܫܐ (person who secretly watches) · kmr sîxur (person who secretly watches) · de Schlapphut (person who secretly watches) · tr çaşıt (person who secretly watches) · de Spionin (person who secretly watches) · sk špiónka (person who secretly watches) · tg ҷосус (person who secretly watches) · sh špìjūn (person who secretly watches) · lv spiegs (person who secretly watches) · mi kaitūtei (person who secretly watches) · uz shpion (person who secretly watches) · el κατάσκοπος (person who secretly watches) · ja 諜報員 (person who secretly watches) · sk zved (person who secretly watches) · tr ajan (person who secretly watches) · wyi merrtt (person who secretly watches) · ab ашпион (person who secretly watches) · yue 間諜 /间谍 (person who secretly watches) · ja 諜者 (person who secretly watches) · prs جَاسُوس (person who secretly watches) · sk špión (person who secretly watches) · ko 첩자 (person who secretly watches) · tab жасус (person who secretly watches) · sk vyzvedačka (person who secretly watches) · fi vakoilija (person who secretly watches) · cs špiónka (person who secretly watches) · gl espía (person who secretly watches) · ko 스파이 (person who secretly watches) · ang sċēawere (person who secretly watches) · mi pūrahorua (person who secretly watches) · ja 密偵 (person who secretly watches) · lo ນັກສືບ (person who secretly watches) · mr गुप्तहेर (person who secretly watches) · lt šnipė (person who secretly watches) · yi שפּיאָן (person who secretly watches) · da spion (person who secretly watches) · as চোৰাংচোৱা (person who secretly watches) · de Spion (person who secretly watches) · mn тагнуул (person who secretly watches) · nn spion (person who secretly watches) · vo jispionan (person who secretly watches) · kmr spiyon (person who secretly watches) · sk špeh (person who secretly watches) · pt espião (person who secretly watches) · is njósnari (person who secretly watches) · ka მსტოვარი (person who secretly watches) · or ଗୁପ୍ତଚର (person who secretly watches) · ga spiaire (person who secretly watches) · grc κατάσκοπος (person who secretly watches) · gu જાસૂસ (person who secretly watches) · bo སོ་པ (person who secretly watches) · uz josus (person who secretly watches) · mk шпионка (person who secretly watches) · fi vakooja (person who secretly watches) · ru шпио́н (person who secretly watches) · et spioon (person who secretly watches) · lt šnipas (person who secretly watches) · sk vyzvedač (person who secretly watches) · ca espia (person who secretly watches) · ky шпион (person who secretly watches) · it spia (person who secretly watches) · ka მოთვალთვალე (person who secretly watches) · la speculātor (person who secretly watches) · af spioen (person who secretly watches) · ja 探偵 (person who secretly watches) · nrf espion (person who secretly watches) · la ēmissārius (person who secretly watches) · dv ޖާސޫސް (person who secretly watches) · sah үспүйүөн (person who secretly watches) · pl szpion (person who secretly watches) · de Schnüffler (person who secretly watches) · os дзырдхӕссӕг (person who secretly watches) · la speculātrix (person who secretly watches) · mn тагнуулч (person who secretly watches) · km ចារបុរស (person who secretly watches) · la ōtacustēs (person who secretly watches) · eu espioi (person who secretly watches) · uk шпик (person who secretly watches) · cy ysbïwraig (person who secretly watches) · fo njósnari (person who secretly watches) · nb spion (person who secretly watches) · sk sliedič (person who secretly watches) · es espía (person who secretly watches) · cy ysbïwr (person who secretly watches) · ru шпио́нка (person who secretly watches) · he מְרַגֵל (person who secretly watches) · ab аԥшы́хәҩы (person who secretly watches) · hu kém (person who secretly watches) · sh špìjūnka (person who secretly watches) · uk шпигу́нка (person who secretly watches) · eo spiono (person who secretly watches) · cs špeh (person who secretly watches) · ml ചാരൻ (person who secretly watches) · kk тыңшы (person who secretly watches)

wikidata: Q9352089

spy en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /spaɪ/

Etymology

From Middle English spien, aphetic variant of earlier espien (“to espy”), from Old French espier (“to spy”), from Frankish *spehōn (“to spy”), from Proto-Germanic *spehōną (“to see, look”), from Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- (“to look”). Akin to German spähen (“to spy”), Dutch spieden (“to spy”). The noun displaced native Old English sċēawere (literally “watcher”), which was also the word for "mirror." In this sense, the verb displaced Old English sċēawian, which was also the word for "to watch" and became the Modern English word show. Distant cognate vie PIE with Latin speculātor, Ancient Greek κατάσκοπος (katáskopos). Compare typologically Russian согляда́тай (sogljadátaj) (akin to гляде́ть (gljadétʹ)).

Meanings

1. (intransitive) To act as a spy.
   • During the Cold War, Russia and America would each spy on each other for recon.
2. (transitive) To spot; to catch sight of; to espy.
   • One in reading, skipped over all sentences where he spied a note of admiration. 1720, Jonathan Swift, A Letter to a Young Clergyman:
   • The next person they spied was a Bandicoot carrying a watermelon. 1918, Norman Lindsay, The Magic Pudding, page 68:
   • I think I can spy that hot guy coming over here.
   • Child, I see thee! Child, I spy thee! 1818, John Keats, A Prophecy:
   • VVherefore lift up your heads, brethren, and look about vvith your eyes, ſpy vvhat things are to be reformed in the Church of England. 1536 June 15 (Gregorian calendar), Hugh Latimer, “Sermon II. Master Latimer’s Discourse on the Same Day in the Afternoon [Preached to the Convocation of the Clergy, before the Parliament Began, the Sixth Day of June, the Twenty Eighth Year of the Reign of the Late King Henry VIII].”, in The Sermons of the Right Reverend Father in God, Master Hugh Latimer, Bishop of Worcester. […], volume I, London: […] J. Scott, […], published 1758, →OCLC, page 32:
3. (intransitive) To search narrowly; to scrutinize.
   • (As I confeſſe it is my Natures plague / To ſpy into Abuſes, and of my iealouſie / Shapes faults that are not) c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iii], page 324:
4. (transitive) To explore; to see; to view; inspect and examine secretly, as a country.

Forms

Deriveds

spy out · spier · hi-spy-hi · spy on · I spy with my little eye · counterspy · unspied · outspy · I spy · spyhop

Descendants

스파이 · スパイ

Relateds

spyglass · spyware

Translations (83)

is koma auga á (to spot at a distance) · lv saskatīt (to spot at a distance) · sh уходити (to act as a spy) · jam pree (to spot at a distance) · hy լրտեսել (to act as a spy) · lv spiegot (to act as a spy) · el κατασκοπεύω (to act as a spy) · sh uhòditi (to act as a spy) · mi tūtei (to act as a spy) · kl marserpaa (to act as a spy) · af bespied (to act as a spy) · tr ajanlık yapmak (to act as a spy) · bg шпионирам (to act as a spy) · ru следи́ть (to act as a spy) · ka შპიონაჟი (to act as a spy) · lv ieraudzīt (to spot at a distance) · af bespied (to spot at a distance) · bg забелязвам (to spot at a distance) · tr casusluk yapmak (to act as a spy) · it spiare (to act as a spy) · ka თვალთვალი (to act as a spy) · vo spionön (to act as a spy) · mr हेरगिरी करणे (to act as a spy) · nl bespieden (to act as a spy) · ka ჯაშუშობა (to act as a spy) · pt espiar (to act as a spy) · eo spioni (to act as a spy) · ca espiar (to act as a spy) · sw majasusi (to act as a spy) · fi vakoilla (to act as a spy) · cy ysbïo (to act as a spy) · sh шпијунирати (to act as a spy) · ka მიკვლევა (to act as a spy) · bg съзирам (to spot at a distance) · qu chapatiyay (to act as a spy) · ms intip (to act as a spy) · sw majasusi (to spot at a distance) · de ausspionieren (to act as a spy) · ka კვალის მიგნება (to act as a spy) · hu kémkedik (to act as a spy) · nl spioneren (to act as a spy) · da få øje på (to spot at a distance) · sv spionera (to act as a spy) · af spioeneer (to act as a spy) · cs špehovat (to act as a spy) · sv kunskapa (to act as a spy) · cs slídit (to act as a spy) · mk шпиони́ра (to act as a spy) · la speculor (to spot at a distance) · ka დაზვერვა (to act as a spy) · id memata-matai (to act as a spy) · ro spiona (to act as a spy) · gl espreitar (to spot at a distance) · gl espiar (to spot at a distance) · cmn 暗中偵察 /暗中侦察 (to act as a spy) · gl esculcar (to spot at a distance) · oc espionar (to act as a spy) · la speculor (to act as a spy) · sq përgjoj (to act as a spy) · ar تَجَسَّسَ (to act as a spy) · fr espionner (to act as a spy) · gl espiar (to act as a spy) · zza casusin (to act as a spy) · pl dostrzec (to spot at a distance) · es espiar (to act as a spy) · es avistar (to spot at a distance) · sl vohuniti (to act as a spy) · st hlwela (to act as a spy) · sh špijunírati (to act as a spy) · grc κατασκοπέω (to act as a spy) · de erspähen (to spot at a distance) · tyv шивишкиннээр (to act as a spy) · uk шпигувати (to act as a spy) · sq pikas (to spot at a distance) · pt espionar (to act as a spy) · is njósna (to act as a spy) · pl szpiegować (to act as a spy) · ru шпио́нить (to act as a spy) · no få øye på (to spot at a distance) · da spionere (to act as a spy) · no spionere (to act as a spy) · it spiare (to spot at a distance) · kl marserpoq (to act as a spy)