ȧzhäⁿprȯvȯkȧtœœr; ˈājəntprō|väkə|tər, -tu̇(ə)r noun
( plural agents provocateurs -äⁿp...œœr; -ntsp...ər(z), -u̇(ə)r(z))
Etymology: French, literally, provoking agent
: one employed to associate himself with members of a group or with suspected persons and by pretended sympathy with their aims or attitudes to incite them to some illegal or harmful action that will make them liable to apprehension and punishment : a secret agent or undercover man
a city overrun with spies and agents provocateurs