Confusion:
OALD:
informant (synonym informer): a person who gives secret information about somebody/something to the police or a newspaper
Cambridge:
informant: someone who gives information to another person or organization BUT the example is: a police/secret informant
MW:
informant: a person who gives information to the police about secret or criminal activities
So, as I read, informant/informer deals with information passed on to some authorities secretly.
The Question
I am not talking of someone who is giving me information secretly or with any bad intention. S/he is just a source of information. S/he is not paid or kept on a job to pass on the information.
I’m looking for a word to describe a person who gave me information about someone/thing but…
S/he’s not paid
S/he’s not kept for that job exclusively
S/he’s does not give me information regularly
S/he’s not a professional in passing the information.
S/he doesn’t report to anyone.
asked May 31, 2016 at 5:40
Maulik VMaulik V
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As previously told and verified on OxfDE:
«a person from whom a linguist or anthropologist obtains information about language, dialect or culture.»
I think «source» is tailored on what you’re saying. J
answered May 31, 2016 at 13:01
IMO, tittle-tattler is a word that fits in your search. Wordnik says:
Tittle-tattler: n. One who circulates idle gossip; a trifling tattler.
However, I could not find this word in any other dictionaries. But, tattler word is given here.
Tittle-tattle is a synonym for gossips.
answered Jun 2, 2016 at 6:09
Rucheer MRucheer M
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Informer, and informant both mean someone who gives information. They can be used as synonyms. However, there is an important distinction between them.
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Quick Look
Informer is a person who gives information in secret, especially
to the police, or other secret agency.
Informant is a person who gives general information to
another person or organisation (including Intelligence agencies).
What is the meaning of Informer?
According to
Oxford, «a person who gives information to the police or other
authority.»
Collins
says, ‘An informer is a person who tells the police that someone has done
something illegal.’
Merriam
says, ‘a person who gives information to the police about secret or
criminal activities.’
Informer in sentence:
-
His words are dangerous and foolhardy, for Nazi
informers lurk everywhere. -
The C.I.A. learned of Mr. al-Rimi’s location from an
informer in Yemen in November, according to a United States
official who was briefed on the strike. -
As many as one in four people were thought to be
informers for Ceausescu’s secret police in the 1980s. -
He said that his conclusions are supported not only by the receipts
but by interviews with informers in Syria over a 16-month
period.
What is the meaning of Informant?
According to
Oxford, «a person who gives secret information about somebody/something to the
police or a newspaper.»
(technical) a person who gives somebody information about something, for
example to help them with their research.
a person who gives information to the police about secret or criminal
activities.
In technical sense: a person who gives information about his or her
culture or language to a researcher.
Informant in sentence:
- A trap was set with the help of an informant.
-
“There was no magic phone call, no letter, no
informant saying you need to look at this case,” Purcell
said. -
The informant was later found dead, however, and Kabuga
remained at large. -
Agents received the dossier in September 2016 and read its
allegations that Mr. Trump was a Russian informant.
What is the difference between Informer and Informant?
Dictionaries say informer and informant can be used as synonyms. Using
them as synonyms, however, can sometimes be confusing, as they carry
different identity in different contexts.
On the basis of our dictionaries, we differentiate them as below:
In general sense, an informant is someone who give
information.
In technical sense, an informant is someone who has experience so
that he or she can share information with a researcher in culture,
social, or language topics.
An Informer is a person paid to provide information, particularly
inside information, about people and events in a group to which he or
she belongs. He or she can be called a traitor after getting
identified.
More general differences:
An Informant may be or may not be employed by authorized agency.
An Informer is generally employed by authorized agency.
An Informant is recognizable.
An Informer is not recognizable.
An Informant is awarded openly on providing important information.
An Informer is not awarded openly.
Every person can be known as an informant when it comes to share general
information.
But a few can be an informer when it comes to share secrets.
How do we remember Informer and Informant?
An Informer is a secret agent: you can see common «e» in both informer and
secret. With the help of this «e«, we can easily
learn that informer share secrets.
An Informant is someone who give general information. The first seven letters of informant and information are the same-i.n.f.o.r.m.a
. This way we can easily remember that informant shares
information.
Can informer and informant be used as synonyms ?
Yes, informer, and informant can be used as synonyms
when they mean «someone who gives information to the police about secret
or criminal activities.»
- I used to work as police informant (informer).
Informant is also used to means a person who gives information
about his or her culture or language to a researcher.
Types of Informers or Informants:
They can be identified citizen.
They can be from the criminal world.
They can be anonymous.
With the help of Ngram, we can see that informant is more used than
informer.
I have read some fantastic books on English language that really helped me
improve my writing. You can buy my recommended books on
Amazon. Here is the
lists below:
«When gossips grow older they turn into myths.» — Когда сплетни стареют, они становятся мифами
Friday [ʹfraıdı] , 14 April [ʹeıprəl] 2023
Большой англо-русско-английский словарь
транскрипция, произношение, примеры употребления, фразеологизмы,синонимы и антонимы
-
Вы здесь:
- Главная
- Словарь
-
Толковый словарь английского языка
an‧nounc‧er /əˈnaʊnsə $ -ər/ ‘British English’ ‘American English’ noun [countable]
[Word Family: noun: ↑announcement, ↑announcer; verb: ↑announce; adverb: ↑unannounced; adjective: ↑unannounced]
1. someone who reads news or information on the television or radio
2. someone who gives information to people using a ↑loudspeaker or ↑microphone, especially at an airport or railway station
1. Match the words in the list with their definitions.Соедини слова в списке с их определениями.
1) a person who gives information or advice in businessчеловек, который дает информацию или советы в бизнесеconsultant консультант
2) a useful, positive effect that something hasполезный, положительный эффект у чего-либоbenefit благо, выгода, польза
3) knowing about something and probably being interested in itзнать о чем-либо и, вероятно, быть заинтересованным в этомawareness осведомленность, информированность
4) something that helps or that a better chance of successто, что помогает или, что дает больше шансов на успехadvantage преимущество, польза, выгода
5) to spend time looking at something without a clear idea of what you wantтратить время на что-то, без четкого понимания, что вы хотитеbrowse обзор, навигация, просматривать
6) to succeed in making somebody believe somethingпреуспевать в том, чтобы убеждать кого-либо в чем-либоconvince убедить, уговорить
2. Which words are nouns which are verbs?Какие слова — существительные, а какие — глаголы?consultant — сущbenefit — сущawareness — сущadvantage — сущbrowse — глconvince — гл
3. Complete the sentences using the words in the list.Заполните предложения, используя слова в списке.
1) A good consultant does not necessarily know the answers to every question, but does know where to find the answer.Хороший консультант не обязательно знает ответы на каждый вопрос, но он знает где их искать.
2) Adverts on TV and in magazines are used to create awareness of new products.Реклама на ТВ и в журналах используется для создания осведомленности о новых продуктах.
3) The benefit of using a travel agent is that they can help you to find the best holiday.Польза в обращении в турагентство заключается в том, что там могут помочь Вам с выбором лучшего отдыха.
4) The main advantage of learning English is that most people in tourism speak it.Главное преимущество изучения английского языка заключается в том, что большинство путешествующих людей говорят на нем.
5) There is so much information to browse through on the Internet that it is easy not to find what you want.Существует так много информации, которую можно посмотреть в Интернете, что легко не найти то, что Вам нужно.
Остальное сделать не могу, так как нужно слушать аудио-приложения к тексту, а их тут нет)
Related words
blow the whistle
phrase
to tell the public or someone in authority about something wrong that you know someone is doing, especially at the place where you work. A person who does this is called a whistle-blower
denunciation
noun
the act of telling the authorities that someone has done something wrong or illegal
dob in
phrasal verb
to tell someone in authority about something bad that another person has done
dog
noun
Australianinformal someone who gives information about people to the police or to another authority
exposure
noun
the act of making something publicly known because you believe that it is wrong or illegal
finger
verb
informal to tell the police that someone has committed a crime
fink
noun
mainly Americaninformal a person who you dislike, especially because they give information to the police
fit up
phrasal verb
informal to make it seem that someone is guilty of a crime when they are not
frame
verb
informal to make someone seem guilty of a crime when they are not, for example by lying to the police or by producing false evidence
frame-up
noun
informal a situation in which someone tries to make an innocent person seem guilty of a crime, by lying or by producing false evidence
grass
noun
Britishinformal a person, usually a criminal, who tells the police what other criminals have done
grass
verb
Britishinformal to tell someone in authority, especially the police, about something bad that someone else has done
grass up
phrasal verb
Britishinformal to tell someone in authority, especially the police, about something bad that someone else has done
hand over
phrasal verb
to give someone to the police or another authority that will become responsible for them
impimpi
noun
South Africanshowing disapproval someone who secretly gives information about another person to the police or other authorities; an informer
informant
noun
someone who secretly gives information about someone to the police or someone in authority
informer
noun
someone who secretly gives information about someone to the police or someone in authority
inform on
phrasal verb
to secretly give the police or someone in authority information about someone
nark
noun
informal someone who secretly informs the police about a criminal’s activities
rat on
phrasal verb
to tell someone in authority about something that someone you know has done wrong
report
verb
to tell someone in authority about a crime, something dangerous etc
shop
verb
Britishinformal to inform the police or someone in authority about someone who has done something illegal or wrong
sing
verb
very informal to tell someone in authority all the details of a crime, especially one that you have committed
sneak
verb
Britishinformalshowing disapproval to tell someone about something wrong that someone else has done. The American word is snitch
snitch
verb
informalshowing disapproval to tell someone about something wrong that someone else has done
snout
noun
Britishinformal someone who gives information about criminals to the police
squeal
verb
informal to tell the police or someone in authority that someone has done something wrong or illegal
supergrass
noun
Britishinformal a criminal who gives information about a lot of other criminals to the police
turn in
phrasal verb
to tell the police about someone, or to take them to the police, because they have committed a crime
write up
phrasal verb
American to report officially that someone has done something wrong