Etymology

spoiler

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Today it means: One who spoils; a plunderer; a pillager; a robber; a despoiler. Full definition →

First used 1970sEnglish spoil ← Middle English spoilen ← Old French espoillier
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The story

  1. Latinspolium
  2. Latinspoliāre
  3. Old Frenchespoillier
  4. Middle Englishspoilen
  5. Englishspoil
  6. English todayspoiler

From spoil + -er.

First known use, by meaning

  • from 1970s A document, review or comment that discloses the ending or some key surprise or twist in a story, or the internal rules controlling the behaviour of a video game, etc.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.