"wiretap" meaning in English

See wiretap in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

Forms: wiretaps [plural]
Etymology: Back-formation from wiretapper; or else wire + tap Etymology templates: {{back-formation|en|wiretapper}} Back-formation from wiretapper, {{compound|en|wire|tap}} wire + tap Head templates: {{en-noun}} wiretap (plural wiretaps)
  1. A connection installed on a telephone line or other communications system in order to allow a third party to conduct covert surveillance of conversations. Categories (topical): Espionage Translations (covert connection): бръ́мбар (brǎ́mbar) [masculine] (Bulgarian), 竊聽器 (Chinese Mandarin), 窃听器 (qiētīngqì) (Chinese Mandarin), štěnice [feminine] (Czech), salakuuntelulaite (Finnish), kuuntelulaite (Finnish), mouchard [masculine] (French), micro [masculine] (French), écoute [feminine] (French), მოსასმენი მოწყობილობა (mosasmeni moc̣q̇obiloba) (Georgian), ფარული მოსმენის ელექტრონული მოწყობილობა (paruli mosmenis elekṭronuli moc̣q̇obiloba) (Georgian), Wanze [feminine] (German), κοριός (koriós) [masculine] (Greek), cimice [feminine] (Italian), microspia [feminine] (Italian), 盗聴器 (tōchōki) (alt: とうちょうき) (Japanese), 도청 장치 (docheong jangchi) (Korean), pluskwa [feminine] (Polish), grampo [Brazil, masculine] (Portuguese), жучо́к (žučók) [masculine] (Russian), подслу́шивающее устро́йство (podslúšivajuščeje ustrójstvo) [neuter] (Russian), telefonavlyssning [common-gender] (Swedish)
    Sense id: en-wiretap-en-noun-~sb6XJug Disambiguation of Espionage: 75 25 Categories (other): English back-formations, English entries with incorrect language header, English entries with topic categories using raw markup Disambiguation of English back-formations: 78 22 Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 80 20 Disambiguation of English entries with topic categories using raw markup: 78 22

Verb

Forms: wiretaps [present, singular, third-person], wiretapping [participle, present], wiretapped [participle, past], wiretapped [past]
Etymology: Back-formation from wiretapper; or else wire + tap Etymology templates: {{back-formation|en|wiretapper}} Back-formation from wiretapper, {{compound|en|wire|tap}} wire + tap Head templates: {{en-verb|++}} wiretap (third-person singular simple present wiretaps, present participle wiretapping, simple past and past participle wiretapped)
  1. To install or to use such a connection. Derived forms: wiretapper, wiretapping Translations (to install or to use such a device): aftappen (Dutch), asentaa salakuuntelulaite (Finnish), salakuunnella (Finnish), poser un mouchard (French), un micro (French), mettre sur écoute (French), სატელეფონო საუბრების მოსმენა (saṭelepono saubrebis mosmena) (Georgian), სატელეფონო საუბრებზე მიყურადება (saṭelepono saubrebze miq̇uradeba) (Georgian), verwanzen (German), spiare (Italian), intercettare (Italian), 盗聴器を仕掛ける (tōchōki wo shikakeru) (Japanese), zakładać pluskwę (Polish), grampear [Brazil] (Portuguese), namestiti prisluškovalno napravo (Slovene), telefonavlyssna (Swedish)
    Sense id: en-wiretap-en-verb-6JyuU7iu

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

Download JSON data for wiretap meaning in English (7.4kB)

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "wiretapper"
      },
      "expansion": "Back-formation from wiretapper",
      "name": "back-formation"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "wire",
        "3": "tap"
      },
      "expansion": "wire + tap",
      "name": "compound"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Back-formation from wiretapper; or else wire + tap",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "wiretaps",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "wiretap (plural wiretaps)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "78 22",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English back-formations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "80 20",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "78 22",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with topic categories using raw markup",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "75 25",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Espionage",
          "orig": "en:Espionage",
          "parents": [
            "Deception",
            "Secrecy",
            "Security",
            "Ethics",
            "Human behaviour",
            "Society",
            "Philosophy",
            "Human",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A connection installed on a telephone line or other communications system in order to allow a third party to conduct covert surveillance of conversations."
      ],
      "id": "en-wiretap-en-noun-~sb6XJug",
      "links": [
        [
          "telephone",
          "telephone"
        ],
        [
          "communication",
          "communication"
        ],
        [
          "covert",
          "covert"
        ],
        [
          "surveillance",
          "surveillance"
        ],
        [
          "conversation",
          "conversation"
        ]
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "brǎ́mbar",
          "sense": "covert connection",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "бръ́мбар"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "covert connection",
          "word": "竊聽器"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "qiētīngqì",
          "sense": "covert connection",
          "word": "窃听器"
        },
        {
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "covert connection",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "štěnice"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "covert connection",
          "word": "salakuuntelulaite"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "covert connection",
          "word": "kuuntelulaite"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "covert connection",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "mouchard"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "covert connection",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "micro"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "covert connection",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "écoute"
        },
        {
          "code": "ka",
          "lang": "Georgian",
          "roman": "mosasmeni moc̣q̇obiloba",
          "sense": "covert connection",
          "word": "მოსასმენი მოწყობილობა"
        },
        {
          "code": "ka",
          "lang": "Georgian",
          "roman": "paruli mosmenis elekṭronuli moc̣q̇obiloba",
          "sense": "covert connection",
          "word": "ფარული მოსმენის ელექტრონული მოწყობილობა"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "covert connection",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Wanze"
        },
        {
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "koriós",
          "sense": "covert connection",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "κοριός"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "covert connection",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "cimice"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "covert connection",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "microspia"
        },
        {
          "alt": "とうちょうき",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "tōchōki",
          "sense": "covert connection",
          "word": "盗聴器"
        },
        {
          "code": "ko",
          "lang": "Korean",
          "roman": "docheong jangchi",
          "sense": "covert connection",
          "word": "도청 장치"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "covert connection",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "pluskwa"
        },
        {
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "covert connection",
          "tags": [
            "Brazil",
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "grampo"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "žučók",
          "sense": "covert connection",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "жучо́к"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "podslúšivajuščeje ustrójstvo",
          "sense": "covert connection",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "подслу́шивающее устро́йство"
        },
        {
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "covert connection",
          "tags": [
            "common-gender"
          ],
          "word": "telefonavlyssning"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "wiretap"
  ],
  "word": "wiretap"
}

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "wiretapper"
      },
      "expansion": "Back-formation from wiretapper",
      "name": "back-formation"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "wire",
        "3": "tap"
      },
      "expansion": "wire + tap",
      "name": "compound"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Back-formation from wiretapper; or else wire + tap",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "wiretaps",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "wiretapping",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "wiretapped",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "wiretapped",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "++"
      },
      "expansion": "wiretap (third-person singular simple present wiretaps, present participle wiretapping, simple past and past participle wiretapped)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "derived": [
        {
          "word": "wiretapper"
        },
        {
          "word": "wiretapping"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To install or to use such a connection."
      ],
      "id": "en-wiretap-en-verb-6JyuU7iu",
      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "to install or to use such a device",
          "word": "aftappen"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "to install or to use such a device",
          "word": "asentaa salakuuntelulaite"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "to install or to use such a device",
          "word": "salakuunnella"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "to install or to use such a device",
          "word": "poser un mouchard"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "to install or to use such a device",
          "word": "un micro"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "to install or to use such a device",
          "word": "mettre sur écoute"
        },
        {
          "code": "ka",
          "lang": "Georgian",
          "roman": "saṭelepono saubrebis mosmena",
          "sense": "to install or to use such a device",
          "word": "სატელეფონო საუბრების მოსმენა"
        },
        {
          "code": "ka",
          "lang": "Georgian",
          "roman": "saṭelepono saubrebze miq̇uradeba",
          "sense": "to install or to use such a device",
          "word": "სატელეფონო საუბრებზე მიყურადება"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "to install or to use such a device",
          "word": "verwanzen"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "to install or to use such a device",
          "word": "spiare"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "to install or to use such a device",
          "word": "intercettare"
        },
        {
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "tōchōki wo shikakeru",
          "sense": "to install or to use such a device",
          "word": "盗聴器を仕掛ける"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "to install or to use such a device",
          "word": "zakładać pluskwę"
        },
        {
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "to install or to use such a device",
          "tags": [
            "Brazil"
          ],
          "word": "grampear"
        },
        {
          "code": "sl",
          "lang": "Slovene",
          "sense": "to install or to use such a device",
          "word": "namestiti prisluškovalno napravo"
        },
        {
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "to install or to use such a device",
          "word": "telefonavlyssna"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "wiretap"
  ],
  "word": "wiretap"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English back-formations",
    "English compound terms",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English verbs",
    "Requests for review of Hebrew translations",
    "Requests for review of Mandarin translations",
    "en:Espionage"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "wiretapper"
      },
      "expansion": "Back-formation from wiretapper",
      "name": "back-formation"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "wire",
        "3": "tap"
      },
      "expansion": "wire + tap",
      "name": "compound"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Back-formation from wiretapper; or else wire + tap",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "wiretaps",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "wiretap (plural wiretaps)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A connection installed on a telephone line or other communications system in order to allow a third party to conduct covert surveillance of conversations."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "telephone",
          "telephone"
        ],
        [
          "communication",
          "communication"
        ],
        [
          "covert",
          "covert"
        ],
        [
          "surveillance",
          "surveillance"
        ],
        [
          "conversation",
          "conversation"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "brǎ́mbar",
      "sense": "covert connection",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "бръ́мбар"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "covert connection",
      "word": "竊聽器"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "qiētīngqì",
      "sense": "covert connection",
      "word": "窃听器"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "covert connection",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "štěnice"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "covert connection",
      "word": "salakuuntelulaite"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "covert connection",
      "word": "kuuntelulaite"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "covert connection",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "mouchard"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "covert connection",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "micro"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "covert connection",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "écoute"
    },
    {
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "mosasmeni moc̣q̇obiloba",
      "sense": "covert connection",
      "word": "მოსასმენი მოწყობილობა"
    },
    {
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "paruli mosmenis elekṭronuli moc̣q̇obiloba",
      "sense": "covert connection",
      "word": "ფარული მოსმენის ელექტრონული მოწყობილობა"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "covert connection",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Wanze"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "koriós",
      "sense": "covert connection",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "κοριός"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "covert connection",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "cimice"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "covert connection",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "microspia"
    },
    {
      "alt": "とうちょうき",
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "tōchōki",
      "sense": "covert connection",
      "word": "盗聴器"
    },
    {
      "code": "ko",
      "lang": "Korean",
      "roman": "docheong jangchi",
      "sense": "covert connection",
      "word": "도청 장치"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "covert connection",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "pluskwa"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "covert connection",
      "tags": [
        "Brazil",
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "grampo"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "žučók",
      "sense": "covert connection",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "жучо́к"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "podslúšivajuščeje ustrójstvo",
      "sense": "covert connection",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "подслу́шивающее устро́йство"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "covert connection",
      "tags": [
        "common-gender"
      ],
      "word": "telefonavlyssning"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "wiretap"
  ],
  "word": "wiretap"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English back-formations",
    "English compound terms",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English verbs",
    "Requests for review of Hebrew translations",
    "Requests for review of Mandarin translations",
    "en:Espionage"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "wiretapper"
    },
    {
      "word": "wiretapping"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "wiretapper"
      },
      "expansion": "Back-formation from wiretapper",
      "name": "back-formation"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "wire",
        "3": "tap"
      },
      "expansion": "wire + tap",
      "name": "compound"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Back-formation from wiretapper; or else wire + tap",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "wiretaps",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "wiretapping",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "wiretapped",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "wiretapped",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "++"
      },
      "expansion": "wiretap (third-person singular simple present wiretaps, present participle wiretapping, simple past and past participle wiretapped)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "To install or to use such a connection."
      ]
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "to install or to use such a device",
      "word": "aftappen"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "to install or to use such a device",
      "word": "asentaa salakuuntelulaite"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "to install or to use such a device",
      "word": "salakuunnella"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "to install or to use such a device",
      "word": "poser un mouchard"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "to install or to use such a device",
      "word": "un micro"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "to install or to use such a device",
      "word": "mettre sur écoute"
    },
    {
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "saṭelepono saubrebis mosmena",
      "sense": "to install or to use such a device",
      "word": "სატელეფონო საუბრების მოსმენა"
    },
    {
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "saṭelepono saubrebze miq̇uradeba",
      "sense": "to install or to use such a device",
      "word": "სატელეფონო საუბრებზე მიყურადება"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "to install or to use such a device",
      "word": "verwanzen"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "to install or to use such a device",
      "word": "spiare"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "to install or to use such a device",
      "word": "intercettare"
    },
    {
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "tōchōki wo shikakeru",
      "sense": "to install or to use such a device",
      "word": "盗聴器を仕掛ける"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "to install or to use such a device",
      "word": "zakładać pluskwę"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "to install or to use such a device",
      "tags": [
        "Brazil"
      ],
      "word": "grampear"
    },
    {
      "code": "sl",
      "lang": "Slovene",
      "sense": "to install or to use such a device",
      "word": "namestiti prisluškovalno napravo"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "to install or to use such a device",
      "word": "telefonavlyssna"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "wiretap"
  ],
  "word": "wiretap"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-05-01 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (f4fd8c9 and c9440ce). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.