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agent provocateur

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agent provocateur

Main Entry:: agent pro·vo·ca·teur
Pronunciation:: \ˈä-ˌzhäⁿ-prō-ˌvä-kə-ˈtər, ˈā-jənt-\
Function:: noun
Inflected Form(s):: plural agents provocateurs \ˈä-ˌzhäⁿ-prō-ˌvä-kə-ˈtər, ˈā-jən(t)s-prō-\
Etymology:: French, literally, provoking agent
Date:: 1877

: one employed to associate with suspected persons and by pretending sympathy with their aims to incite them to some incriminating action

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