agent provocateur

[ ey-juhnt pruh-vok-uh-tur; French a-zhahn praw-vaw-ka-tœr ]

noun

, plural a·gents pro·vo·ca·teurs [ey, -j, uh, nts pr, uh, -vok-, uh, -, tur, a, -zhah, n, p, r, aw-vaw-k, a, -, tœr].

1. a secret agent hired to incite suspected persons to some illegal action, outbreak, etc., that will make them liable to punishment.

agent provocateur

/ aʒɑ̃ prɔvɔkatœr /

noun

1. a secret agent employed to provoke suspected persons to commit illegal acts and so be discredited or liable to punishment

Word History and Origins

Origin of agent provocateur¹

1875–80; < French: inciting agent; provocation, -eur

Example Sentences

"I experienced at first hand a rather pathetic attempt by an agent provocateur to put me in a great deal of trouble," he said.

From BBC

Jester, troubadour, agent provocateur, Serge Gainsbourg rhymed his way through life in a fog of Gitanes smoke, making music of every genre.

From New York Times

But the defense lawyers in the Proud Boys’ trial — while clearly disturbed by the number of informants in the group — have largely dismissed the notion that the F.B.I. wielded anyone as an agent provocateur.

From New York Times

Appearing on Carlson's show on December 6, Blake notes, McBride "proceeded to highlight one specific supposed agent provocateur, who stood out because he was wearing red face paint."

From Salon

That was a problem for a lawyer who was actually an opponent or “agent provocateur,” according to a summary of the investigation.

From Washington Times