The practice of secretly collecting information about a government, organization, or person, usually for political or military purposes. It is often carried out by spies.
From French *espionnage* 'spying', from *espion* 'spy', from Old French *espier* 'to watch, observe'. The root connects to watching and careful observation.
Espionage isn’t just movie-style gadgets; it’s mostly patient listening, reading, and noticing what others miss. Modern espionage can be as simple as hacking an email or analyzing public data in smart ways. The glamorous word hides a lot of quiet, nerdy work.
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