agent provocateur
noun/ˌæʒɒ̃ prəˌvɒkəˈtɜː(r)/
/ˌɑːʒɑ̃ː prəʊˌvɑːkəˈtɜːr/
(also provocateur)
(plural agents provocateurs
(from French)/ˌæʒɒ̃ prəˌvɒkəˈtɜː(r)/
/ˌɑːʒɑ̃ː prəʊˌvɑːkəˈtɜːr/
)- a person who is employed to encourage people in political groups to do something illegal so that they can be arrestedWord Originlate 19th cent.: French, literally ‘provocative agent’.
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agent provocateur