espionage English · revision 2249

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈɛs.pi.əˌnɑːʒ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fr|espionnage|t=spying]],^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) from ''espionner'' “to spy”,^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) from ''espion'' “spy”,^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) from [[it|spione]],^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) of Germanic origin,^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) akin to Old High German ''spehōn'' “to spy”.^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) It is related to English ''spy''.^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The practice of spying, or of employing spies (1793).^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The word has kept its sense since it was borrowed.^(OED 1989)^(AHD) It is applied both to governments seeking the military and political secrets of other nations and to companies spying on competitors, as in ''industrial espionage''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) Etymonline notes that Middle English already had ''espiouress'' “female spy”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1793 – the practice of spying.^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The act or practice of spying, or of using spies to obtain secret information, especially about a foreign government or a business competitor.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[counterespionage]]

+ * [[industrial espionage]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[tradecraft]]

+ * [[spy]]

+ * [[espy]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}