Funkspiel

F4U1N1K5S1P3I1E1L1

noun

The practice of sending deceptive information to the enemy by means of their official channels that have been subverted.

OriginGerman Funkspiel →
Scrabble 18
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Meanings

nounFunkspiel (uncountable)
  1. uncountableespionageThe practice of sending deceptive information to the enemy by means of their official channels that have been subverted.

    Used the Russian version of funkspiel to do it, too.

    2009, Dan Speers, Master Spies Die Laughing, page 93
    2 more examples

    After a few months of Funkspiel, Giskes' bag was impressive: fifty-three agents taken prisoner immediately on arrival from England; […]

    1969, Gilles Perrault, The Red Orchestra, page 147

    At the same time, Gehlen began to score successes with one of his other specialities, his own form of Funkspiel, […]

    1981, Anthony Read, David Fisher, Operation Lucy: most secret spy ring of the Second World War

Origin

  1. GermanFunkspiel
  2. EnglishFunkspiel

From German Funkspiel; originally the name of a Nazi counterintelligence operation during World War II.

More words from German

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

Funkspiel. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Funkspiel

MLA

“Funkspiel.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Funkspiel. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Funkspiel,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Funkspiel.

Source: Funkspiel on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.