noun
informer
in-FOR-mur/ɪnˈfɔːrmər/
A person who secretly gives information to authorities.
The informer secretly gives police the names of gang leaders.
Etymology
Giving form to something became a figurative expression for training or instructing. An informer was first an instructor, then someone communicating information, and finally someone reporting another person's wrongdoing.
In context
Another tip came in from an informer hinting that the gang were looking for a big big payday by hitting the dome
More examples
- Police protect the informer's identity.
- Investigators rely on informers to expose the smuggling operation.
- The gang suspects that one of its members is an informer.
Forms
informer · informers
inform verb — Give information or report to authorities.