ESPIONAGE

[es.pi.o.nage] n [F espionnage, fr. MF, fr. espionner to spy, fr. espion spy, fr. OIt spione, fr. spia, of Gmc origin; akin to OHG spehon to spy--more at spy] (1793): the practice of spying or using spies to obtain information about the plans and activities esp. of a foreign government or a competing company "industrial ~"