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agent provocateur

noun [C]
 
 
/ˌæʒ.ɑ̃ː.prəˌvɒk.əˈtɜːr/ US  /ˌɑːʒ.ɑ̃ː.proʊˌvɑː.kəˈtɝː/ (plural agents provocateurs /ˌæʒ.ɑ̃ː.prəˌvɒk.əˈtɜːr/
 
US  /ˌɑːʒ.ɑ̃ː.proʊˌvɑː.kəˈtɝː/
)

Definition

a person who intentionally encourages people to do something illegal so that they can be caughtSpying and espionage
(Definition of agent provocateur noun from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

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