espionage

Recorded since 1793, borrowed from French espionnage, from Middle French espionner (“to spy”), from Old French espion (“spy”), itself probably from a Germanic source (akin to Old High German spehon (“spy”)), possibly via Italian spione (from spia). More at spy.

• IPA^(key): /ˈɛs.pi.ə.nɑːʒ/
• enPR: 'ĕs-pē-ŭ-näzh
  • (Canada) enPR: -năzh, -nizh

espionage (countable and uncountable, plural espionages)

1. The act or process of learning secret information through clandestine means.
   • 2003 June 20, Andrea Taylor as Clover and Katie Leigh as Alexandra “Alex”, “Totally Switched”, in Totally Spies!, season 2, episode 19, written by Joseph Purdy, Teletoon, Marathon Media:

     What a freak show! I mean, how often do you meet a wrestling librarian?
     Yeah, about as often as you meet a high schoolgirl involved in international espionage… Okay, bad example.

• spying

• reconnaissance
• undercover

• counterespionage, counter-espionage
• industrial espionage

• sea pigeon