stool pigeon: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowInformal, Slang
Quick answer
What does “stool pigeon” mean?
A person who acts as a decoy or informer, especially for the police.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person who acts as a decoy or informer, especially for the police.
Someone who betrays others by providing information to authorities; a police informant or spy within a criminal group.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
More common in American English, but understood in British English. In British English, 'grass' or 'snitch' might be more frequent.
Connotations
Strongly negative in both varieties, implying cowardice and betrayal.
Frequency
American English uses it more frequently in crime fiction and police contexts. British English prefers other terms in everyday speech.
Grammar
How to Use “stool pigeon” in a Sentence
[someone] is a stool pigeon[someone] turned stool pigeonact as a stool pigeon for [authority]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “stool pigeon” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He stool-pigeoned for the detectives during the investigation.
American English
- They suspected he had stool-pigeoned to avoid jail time.
adjective
British English
- He had a stool-pigeon reputation in the underworld.
American English
- The stool-pigeon operation was set up by the FBI.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used; might appear metaphorically for corporate whistleblowers viewed negatively by colleagues.
Academic
Only in historical or sociological studies of crime and policing.
Everyday
Used in informal conversations about betrayal, especially in crime-related contexts.
Technical
Not used in technical fields; specific to criminology or law enforcement slang.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “stool pigeon”
- Using it as a compliment (always negative)
- Confusing with 'stool sample' (medical term)
- Applying to animals (now only for humans)
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is a derogatory term for an informant, implying betrayal and cowardice.
Historically yes (a decoy pigeon), but in modern usage it only refers to human informants.
A whistleblower exposes wrongdoing from an ethical stance, often publicly. A stool pigeon is a criminal informant working secretly for police, viewed as a traitor by peers.
Yes, particularly in American crime dramas and historical contexts, though 'informant' or 'snitch' may be more common in casual speech.
A person who acts as a decoy or informer, especially for the police.
Stool pigeon is usually informal, slang in register.
Stool pigeon: in British English it is pronounced /ˈstuːl ˌpɪdʒ.ɪn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈstuːl ˌpɪdʒ.ən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “turn stool pigeon”
- “play the stool pigeon”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a pigeon sitting on a stool in a police station, chirping secrets to officers—betraying its flock.
Conceptual Metaphor
BETRAYAL IS HUNTING WITH DECOYS
Practice
Quiz
Which situation best describes a 'stool pigeon'?