noun
espionage
EHS-pee-uh-nahzh
noun
1
The practice of spying or using spies to gather secret information, especially for a government or organization.
"The agent was arrested on charges of espionage."
"Corporate espionage cost the company millions in stolen trade secrets."
How to Use Espionage
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSpying — secretly gathering information, usually for a government, military, or company.
Common pairings
corporate espionage
act of espionage
espionage ring
Word Forms
espionages plural
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “espionage”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The agent was arrested on charges of _____.
Etymology
From French espionnage, from espionner, "to spy," ultimately from a Germanic root meaning "to peek" or "to watch closely" — the same root behind "spy."