Wordwyrt

spy

/sˈpaɪ/SPIGH
/sˈpaɪ/SPIGH

Meaningto watch

Common meaning: to watch secretly

Journey through time

  1. Old Frenchespier‘to espy’source
  2. Middle Englishspiensource
  3. Englishmeaning shiftsto espy → to watch secretlyspy‘to watch secretly’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Old French espier ‘to watch’.

Roots

  • espier Old French “to watch”

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