Word
spook
US/ˈspuk/
UK/spˈuːk/
Countable noun Informal
Definition
n. a person who works for a secret government agency, like the police or the military. It is a short, informal way to say 'spy'.
n. a person who works for a secret government agency, particularly in the context of intelligence or law enforcement. Informal and often considered vulgar in certain professional circles.
Examples
“He used to be a spook for the government.”
“The retired spook shared some interesting stories about his time working undercover in foreign countries.”
“While the former spook was reluctant to speak publicly, he eventually agreed to testify before the committee regarding the security breach.”
Examples
simple
“He used to be a spook for the government.”
contextual
“The retired spook shared some interesting stories about his time working undercover in foreign countries.”
complex
“While the former spook was reluctant to speak publicly, he eventually agreed to testify before the committee regarding the security breach.”
Real-World Examples
“A Texas sheriff’s deputy got the spook of his life and a good laugh during a recent late-night encounter with a deer he mistook for dead on the side of the road.” “Perhaps the first episode is pandering to the old Clarkson diehards so as not to spook them, before it sets about tearing up the blueprint and making something more distinct.” Etymology
Borrowed from Dutch spook (“ghost”), from Middle Dutch spooc (“spook, ghost”). Cognate with Middle Low German spôk, spûk (“apparition, ghost”), Middle High German gespük (“a haunting”), German Spuk, Danish spøge (“to haunt”), Swedish spöke (“ghost”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- 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.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL 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: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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