surveillant

[ ser-vey-luhnt, -veyl-yuhnt ]

adjective

1. exercising surveillance.

noun

1. a person who exercises surveillance.

Word History and Origins

Origin of surveillant¹

1810–20; < French, present participle of surveiller ( surveillance, -ant )

Example Sentences

The strongest, tautest story in the collection is “The Haunting of Hajji Hotak,” again told in second person, this time from the perspective of a government surveillant.

From New York Times

The movie is all tableaux — pacific, surveillant, surreal.

From New York Times

The consequences of that world for the surveillant as well as the surveilled is a lesson for this day and age for sure.

From Los Angeles Times

Cédric, un surveillant, a prodigué les premiers soins à ses collègues hier en attendant l’unité sanitaire.

From BBC

With the help of extended family, he kidnaps his daughter and sends her to Pakistan, where she can be watched with surveillant strictness by her aunt and uncle.

From New York Times