espionage
Use Espionage in a sentence
pi noun
1.
the act or practice of spying.
2.
the use of spies by a government to discover the military and political secrets of other nations.
3.
the use of spies by a corporation or the like to acquire the plans, technical knowledge, etc., of a competitor: industrial espionage.
Origin:
1785–95; < French espionnage, Middle French espionage, equivalent to espionn(er) to spy (derivative of espion spy < Italian spione < Germanic; akin to German spähen to look out) + -age -age
1785–95; < French espionnage, Middle French espionage, equivalent to espionn(er) to spy (derivative of espion spy < Italian spione < Germanic; akin to German spähen to look out) + -age -age
Related forms
non·es·pi·o·nage, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To espionage
00:10
Espionage
is always a great word to know.
So is ort. Does it mean:
| a printed punctuation mark (‽), available only in some typefaces, designed to combine the question mark (?) and the exclamation point (!), indicating a mixture of query and interjection, as after a rhetorical question. |
| a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
espionage (ˈɛspɪəˌnɑːʒ, ˌɛspɪəˈnɑːʒ, ˈɛspɪənɪdʒ) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | the systematic use of spies to obtain secret information, esp by governments to discover military or political secrets |
| 2. | the act or practice of spying |
| [C18: from French espionnage, from espionner to spy, from espion spy, from Old Italian spione, of Germanic origin; compare German spähen to | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
espionage
1793, from Fr. espionnage, from M.Fr. espionner "to spy," from O.Fr. espion "spy," probably from a Gmc. source akin to O.H.G. spehon "spy."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Cite This Source
Example sentences
Cobb runs a dream team of mindbending espionage agents, true inside operators.
It is difficult to provide evidence of espionage, given its secretive manner.
Over the last 12 months, my professional life has had more action than an espionage thriller.
The disclosure comes amid heightened fears of state-sponsored espionage targeting corporate computer networks.
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