spy

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology | 1996 | 289 words | Copyright

spy one who watches secretly. XIII. Aphetic — OF. espie, f. espier ESPY (whence spy vb. act as a spy; catch sight of XIII) — Gmc. *spex-, as in MLG. spēen, MDu. spien (Du. spieden), OHG. spehōn (G. spähen), ON. spæja, repr. IE. *spek- (L. specere look)
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T. F. HOAD. "spy." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "spy." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-spy.html

T. F. HOAD. "spy." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-spy.html

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