spy

Use spy in a sentence

noun

The definition of a spy is a person who secretly watches what people are doing.
An example of spy is Mata Hari who was employed by Germany during the first world war.

verb

Spy is defined as to secretly watch someone or something.
An example of to spy is hiding behind a bush and watching someone through their window.

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MLA Style

"spy." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/spy>.

APA Style

spy. (n.d.). Retrieved January 14th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/spy

spy

transitive verb

spied, spy′ing

to watch or observe closely and secretly, usually with unfriendly purpose: often with out
to catch sight of; make out; perceive; see

Origin of spy

Middle English spien from Old French espier from Old High German speh?n, to search out, examine from Indo-European base an unverified form spe?-, to spy, watch closely from source Classical Latin specere, to see, Sanskrit spa?ati, (he) sees, Classical Greek skopein, to observe

to watch or observe closely and secretly; specif., to act as a spy: often with on
to make a close examination or careful inspection

noun

pl. spies

a person who keeps close and secret watch on another or others
a person employed by a government to get secret information about or monitor the affairs, plans, armed forces, etc. of another government
a person employed by a company, as in industry or commerce, to discover the business secrets of another company
Now Rare an act of spying

of or about spies or espionage
used for purposes of military espionage: spy plane, spy satellite

spy Idioms

spy out

to discover or seek to discover by close observation, inspection, etc.

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Link to this page

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MLA Style

"spy." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/spy>.

APA Style

spy. (n.d.). Retrieved January 14th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/spy

spy

noun

pl. spies,

One who secretly collects information concerning the enemies of a government or group.
One who secretly collects information for a business about one or more of its competitors.
One who secretly keeps watch on another or others.

verb

spied, spy·ing, spies,

verb

transitive

To watch or observe secretly: was sent to spy out the enemy camp.
To discover by close observation: “[They] are continually prowling about on all three decks, eager to spy out iniquities” ( Herman Melville )
To catch sight of; see: spied the ship on the horizon.

verb

intransitive

To engage in espionage.
To investigate or observe something, especially in secret: spying into the neighbor's activities.

Origin of spy

Middle English spie from Old French espie from espier to watch of Germanic origin ; see spek- in Indo-European roots.

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"spy." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/spy>.

APA Style

spy. (n.d.). Retrieved January 14th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/spy

Noun

(plural spies)

A person who secretly watches and examines the actions of other individuals or organizations and gathers information on them (usually to gain an advantage).

Verb

(third-person singular simple present spies, present participle spying, simple past and past participle spied)

(intransitive) To act as a spy.
During the Cold War, Russia and America would each spy on each other for recon.
To spot; to catch sight of.
I think I can spy that hot guy coming over here.
(intransitive) To search narrowly; to scrutinize.
To explore; to view; inspect and examine secretly, as a country.

Related terms

Origin

Middle English spien, aphetic variant of earlier espien "to espy", from Old French espier (“to spy") (espie "a spy"), from Frankish *spehÅn (“to spy"), from Proto-Germanic *spehÅnÄ… (“to see, look"), from Proto-Indo-European *spek- (“to look"). Akin to Old High German spehÅn, spehhÅn "to scout, look out for, spy" (German spÃ¤hen "to spy"), Middle Dutch spien "to spy", Dutch bespieden "to spy on".