'spymaster' originates from English, specifically from combining the words 'spy' and 'master', where 'spy' originally meant 'one who watches' and 'master' meant 'chief or person in authority'.

'spy' came into English from Old French 'espier' (from Latin root related to 'specere', to look), and 'master' comes via Old English from Latin 'magister' (meaning 'teacher, chief'); the compound 'spymaster' was formed in modern English by joining these elements.

Initially it meant 'a master or leader of spies' and over time has retained that basic meaning as 'the head of espionage operations'.