informant
ihn-FAW-muhnt
Informant (noun) means a person who secretly gives confidential information to authorities, such as the police. Example: “The police relied on an informant inside the gang to make the arrests.”
noun
1
A person who secretly gives confidential information to authorities, such as the police.
"The police relied on an informant inside the gang to make the arrests."
"His identity as an informant was kept secret for his own safety."
2
A native speaker who helps linguists by providing examples and judgments about a language.
"The researcher worked with an informant to record the dying dialect."
How to use informant
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomeone who passes on inside information, often secretly.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
police informant
confidential informant
act as an informant
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Word forms
- Plural
- informants
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The police relied on an _____ inside the gang to make the arrests.
Etymology
From inform plus the agent-noun suffix -ant.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for informant
See all rhymes for informant →Frequently asked questions
What does “informant” mean?
The word “informant” means a person who secretly gives confidential information to authorities, such as the police. In plain terms, someone who passes on inside information, often secretly.
How do you pronounce “informant”?
“Informant” is pronounced ihn-FAW-muhnt (/ɪnˈfɔɹmənt/ in IPA).
How do you use “informant” in a sentence?
Here is “informant” used in a sentence: “The police relied on an informant inside the gang to make the arrests.”
What is another word for “informant”?
Words with a similar meaning to “informant” include consultant, abaddon, accuser, beefer, bewrayer and bigmouth.
What part of speech is “informant”?
“Informant” is a noun.
Is “informant” a common word?
“Informant” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C2 level.
How many meanings does “informant” have?
“Informant” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a person who secretly gives confidential information to authorities, such as the police.
