whistleblowers
|whis/tle/blow/ers|
🇺🇸
/ˈwɪsəlˌbloʊərz/
🇬🇧
/ˈwɪsəlˌbləʊəz/
(whistleblower)
expose wrongdoing
Etymology
'whistleblower' originates from the English words 'whistle' and 'blower', where 'whistle' refers to a device that makes a sound and 'blower' refers to someone who blows or sounds the whistle.
'whistleblower' evolved from the practice of referees and police officers using whistles to alert or signal attention to a problem.
Initially, it referred to someone who literally blew a whistle to alert others, but over time it evolved into its current meaning of someone who exposes wrongdoing.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
individuals who expose information or activity within a private, public, or government organization that is deemed illegal, unethical, or not correct.
The whistleblowers revealed the company's illegal activities.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Idioms
Last updated: 2025/01/22 05:43