Evesdropper

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A person who secretly listens to private conversations without permission ; someone who intercepts spoken communication to gain unauthorized information ; an individual who attentively hears others' discussions without their knowledge
2. One who covertly listens in on others’ talks to obtain information not intended for them ; an individual engaged in unauthorized auditory surveillance ; a person who secretly monitors conversations to acquire knowledge surreptitiously
3. A listener who tries to catch spoken words not meant for their ears ; a person spying on conversations without consent ; someone who stealthily overhears discussions to learn private matters

Etymology: The eaves of a house, the overhanging edge of the roof, once gave the word its core. An "eavesdrop" was the strip of ground where rainwater fell off the roof, and to eavesdrop was to stand there and catch what was said inside. The noun "eavesdropper" is simply "eavesdrop" plus the agent suffix "-er", meaning a person who does the action, so an eavesdropper is someone who lingers under the eaves to listen. The spelling "evesdropper" is an older form of the same word, and it reflects how the word was pronounced and written in earlier English. The first element, "eave", comes from Old English "efes", which is related to a root meaning "edge" or "border", and the word has kept its literal sense of the roof's lower edge ever since.

Synonyms: listener, spy, informer, snoop, bug

Antonyms: speaker, talker, confidant, whistleblower, announcer