French word

mouchard

Pronunciation

IPA/muʃaʁ/

Meaning

  • masculine nounsnitch

Example

Ne sois pas un mouchard.

Don't be a snitch.

Illustration for mouchard (snitch)

More examples

Il a été dénoncé comme mouchard par ses voisins.

He was denounced as a snitch by his neighbors.

Core concept

A hidden watcher that quietly passes private information to someone else, whether a person or a listening device.

Common phrases

  • être un mouchard

    be a snitch

  • un mouchard de la police

    a police informant

Similar words

informateur: A person who provides information or clues to people outside a group.
balance: A person who reports others' actions to cause them trouble or harm.
taupe: A person who infiltrates a group to pass its secrets to outsiders.
dénonciateur: A person who formally reports wrongdoing or violations to authorities.

Definition in French

Désigne une personne qui trahit en fournissant des informations en secret; par extension, terme pour un dispositif d'écoute discret.

Word origin

French mouchard is formed from mouche, 'fly', with the suffix -ard, and its sense extended from a secret informer to a discreet listening device.

Usage tips

  • Mouchard is strongly pejorative for a person, while informateur is more neutral in formal or factual contexts.

Other meanings

  • informernoun
  • bugnoun

Related words

  • mouchardersnitchverb
  • mouchardagesnitchingnoun

Word lists with this word