informant

C2 Topic:Education & Learning

US /ɪnˈfɔɹmənt/ UK /ɪnˈfɔːmənt/ See IPA manual

noun Freq #8407

Meanings

1

noun
A person who secretly gives information, especially to the police.

The police arrested the gang thanks to an informant.
2

noun
A person who supplies information for research or a study.

The researcher interviewed several informants about local customs.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a person who secretly gives... source informer

2 noun · a person who supplies... source

More abaddonaccuser beefer bewrayer bigmouth blabberblabtaleblabtonguecanaryciconsultant finger

Word family

Forms informants

Derived forms disinformantmisinformantmultiinformant

Related forms gossiper

Etymology

From inform + -ant.

Topics

Education & Learning Word Formation & Derivatives

# informant

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** ɪnˈfɔɹmənt
**IPA (UK):** ɪnˈfɔːmənt
**Frequency rank:** 8407

## Meanings
1. A person who secretly gives information, especially to the police.
2. A person who supplies information for research or a study.

## Examples
- The police arrested the gang thanks to an informant.
- The researcher interviewed several informants about local customs.

## Synonyms
- abaddon
- accuser
- beefer
- bewrayer
- bigmouth
- blabber
- blabtale
- blabtongue
- canary
- ci
- consultant
- finger

## Derived Forms
- disinformant
- misinformant
- multiinformant

## Related Forms
- gossiper

## Etymology
From inform + -ant.

## AI Etymology
Informant is formed from inform + -ant. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern nominal form is built from the named base and affix. Current senses include a person who secretly gives information, especially to the police and a person who supplies information for research or a study. The wider family includes derived forms such as disinformant, misinformant, and multiinformant; related words such as gossiper.

## Topics
- Education & Learning
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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informant

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