¹spy

verb \ˈspī\

: to try secretly to get information about a country, organization, etc. : to act as a spy

: to see or notice (someone or something)

spiedspy·ing

Full Definition of SPY

transitive verb

: to watch secretly usually for hostile purposes

: to catch sight of : see

: to search or look for intensively —usually used with out <spy out places fit for vending…goods — S. E. Morison>

intransitive verb

: to observe or search for something : look

: to watch secretly as a spy

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Origin of SPY

Middle English spien, from Anglo-French espier, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German spehōn to spy; akin to Latin specere to look, look at, Greek skeptesthai & skopein to watch, look at, consider

First Known Use: 13th century

Related to SPY

Synonyms: behold, catch, descry, discern, distinguish, espy, eye, look (at), note, notice, observe, perceive, regard, remark, sight, spot, see, view, witness

Rhymes with SPY

ay, aye, bi, Bligh, buy, by, bye, chai, chi, cry, die, dry, dye, eye, fie, fly, fry, guy, hie, high, Huai, i, I, lie, lye, my, nigh, phi, pi, pie, ply, pry, psi, rye, scythe, shy, sigh, sky, Skye, sly, spry, sty, Tai, Thai, thigh, thy, tie, try, vie, why, wry, wye, xi, Y

²spy

noun

: a person who tries secretly to get information about a country or organization for another country or organization

: someone who secretly watches the movement or actions of other people

plural spies

Full Definition of SPY

: one that spies:

a : one who keeps secret watch on a person or thing to obtain information

b : a person employed by one nation to secretly convey classified information of strategic importance to another nation; also : a person who conveys the trade secrets of one company to another

: an act of spying

See spy defined for English-language learners