Definition

1. Noun:
   • A person who provides information: An informant is someone who gives information to another person or organization, often in a formal or confidential context.
   • A source of knowledge or data: In research, an informant is a person who supplies specific information about a subject, culture, or situation to a researcher.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The journalist protected the identity of her informant.
  • Anthropologists often rely on a key informant to understand local customs.

Advanced Usage

• Confidential informant: A person who provides information to law enforcement, often secretly.
  • The police acted on a tip from a confidential informant.
• Native informant: In cultural studies, a member of a community who provides insider knowledge to an outside researcher.
  • The linguist worked closely with a native informant to document the endangered language.

Variants and Related Words

• Inform (verb): To give someone facts or information.
  • Please inform the manager of the issue.
• Information (noun): Facts provided or learned about something or someone.
  • He shared valuable information.
• Informative (adjective): Providing useful or interesting information.
  • The lecture was very informative.

Synonyms

• Source: A person, book, etc., that provides information.
• Tipster: A person who gives tips or private information, especially about betting or crime.

Related Phrases

• To turn informant: To become an informant, especially for authorities against one's associates.
  • Facing a long sentence, he decided to turn informant.

Related Idioms

• A little bird told me: A playful way to say you have an informant without revealing their identity.
  • A little bird told me it's your birthday today.

Noun

1. someone who sees an event and reports what happened
2. a person who supplies information