Pronunciation: ' ä- ˌ zhä n -pr ō - ˌ vä-k ə - ' t ə r, ' ā -j ə nt-
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural agents provocateurs \ ' ä- ˌ zhä n -pr ō - ˌ vä-k ə - ' t ə r, ' ā -j ə n(t)s-pr ō - \
Etymology: F, literally, provoking agent
Date: 1877
: one employed to associate with suspected persons and by pretending sympathy with their aims to incite them to some incriminating action