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agent provocateur


agent pro·vo·ca·teur

noun
\ˈä-ˌzhäⁿ-prō-ˌvä-kə-ˈtər, ˈā-jənt-\
plural agents provocateurs\ˈä-ˌzhäⁿ-prō-ˌvä-kə-ˈtər, ˈā-jən(t)s-prō-\

Definition of AGENT PROVOCATEUR

: one employed to associate with suspected persons and by pretending sympathy with their aims to incite them to some incriminating action
See agent provocateur defined for English-language learners »

Examples of AGENT PROVOCATEUR

  1. The government used agents provocateurs to try to undermine the opposition party.

Origin of AGENT PROVOCATEUR

French, literally, provoking agent
First Known Use: 1877

Other Government and Politics Terms

agitprop, autarky, cabal, egalitarianism, federalism, hegemony, plenipotentiary, popular sovereignty, socialism

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