Word
dossier
US/ˌdɔsˈjeɪ/
UK/dˈɒsɪˌeɪ/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a collection of papers or digital files that contains detailed information about a specific person, event, or subject.
n. a collection of documents about a particular person, event, or subject. Often implies a comprehensive or secretive gathering of intelligence.
Examples
“The police compiled a dossier on the suspect.”
“The investigative journalist spent months building a dossier that detailed the company's history of environmental violations.”
“The intelligence agency released a heavily redacted dossier concerning the diplomatic incident, though many critical details remained classified to protect ongoing operations.”
Examples
simple
“The police compiled a dossier on the suspect.”
contextual
“The investigative journalist spent months building a dossier that detailed the company's history of environmental violations.”
complex
“The intelligence agency released a heavily redacted dossier concerning the diplomatic incident, though many critical details remained classified to protect ongoing operations.”
Usage
Commonly paired with the preposition 'on' to indicate the subject of the documents.
Real-World Examples
“To Rama’s critics, however, the book is an 800-page, 2.2kg dossier of evidence.” “He said he was "compiling a dossier" with his editor to prove that he authentically wrote the book.” “The idea is that we organize our information about what we take to be separate objects that we have encountered into separate mental files, or dossiers.” Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from French dossier.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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