espionage

Meaning

Noun

• The act or process of learning secret information through clandestine means.

Related

Similar words

• spying

Origin

• 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.