agent provocateur
noun /ˌæʒɒ̃ prəˌvɒkəˈtɜː(r)/
/ˌɑːʒɑ̃ː prəʊˌvɑːkəˈtɜːr/
(also provocateur)
(plural agents provocateurs
(from French) /ˌæʒɒ̃ prəˌvɒkəˈtɜː(r)/
/ˌɑːʒɑ̃ː prəʊˌvɑːkəˈtɜːr/
)- a person who is employed to encourage people in political groups to do something illegal so that they can be arrestedWord Originlate 19th cent.: French, literally ‘provocative agent’.