surveillance

[ ser-vey-luhns, -veyl-yuhns ]
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noun
  1. a watch kept over a person, group, etc., especially over a suspect, prisoner, or the like: The suspects were under police surveillance.

  2. continuous observation of a place, person, group, or ongoing activity in order to gather information: video cameras used for covert surveillance.: See also electronic surveillance.

  1. attentive observation, as to oversee and direct someone or something: increased surveillance of patients with chronic liver disease.

Origin of surveillance

1
1790–1800; <French, equivalent to surveill(er) to watch over (sur-sur-1 + veiller<Latin vigilāre to watch; see vigil) + -ance-ance

Other words from surveillance

  • coun·ter·sur·veil·lance, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use surveillance in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for surveillance

surveillance

/ (sɜːˈveɪləns) /


noun
  1. close observation or supervision maintained over a person, group, etc, esp one in custody or under suspicion

Origin of surveillance

1
C19: from French, from surveiller to watch over, from sur- 1 + veiller to keep watch (from Latin vigilāre; see vigil)

Derived forms of surveillance

  • surveillant, adjective, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012