Insiders

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Individuals who have special access to private knowledge regarding a group or situation
2. Those who possess confidential details unavailable to the general public
3. Persons with exclusive awareness or understanding of hidden facts

Etymology: "Insiders" is the plural of "insider," which is built from "inside" and the English agent suffix "-er," the same ending found in "rider" or "banker." "Inside" joins "in" and "side," both Old English words, so the term describes someone standing on the inner side of a group's boundary.

Synonyms: members, insiders, affiliates, participants, insiders

Antonyms: outsiders, strangers, nonmembers, aliens, foreigners