passive source
- noun
- Jargon
:
fuente pasiva
- Unlike an active informant, a passive source shares information they come across in their normal activities.
Examples
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As a passive source, she provided useful insights without ever being directly questioned.
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A social media account can be a passive source of information.
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The agency was able to confirm the rumors thanks to a passive source within the organization.
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Many public posts serve as passive sources for researchers.
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As a passive source, she provided valuable information simply by sharing her observations during meetings.
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The detective relied on a passive source who regularly overheard discussions in the office.
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Everyday conversations can serve as a passive source of insights into public opinion.
Synonyms
∞
2.3
A person or organization that gives information for news and research
165
5.6
A person who secretly gives information to police, journalists, or researchers
27
6.0
A person who secretly tells police about someone else's crimes to get money or protection
1
8.7
A person who secretly tells the police about other people's crimes
How Active
∞
2.3
- Jargon
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun phrase is compositionally regular: 'passive' (inactive/not actively responding) modifies 'source' (provider of information), so a learner who knows both words can infer a source that does not actively push or respond with data. Although used in a technical context, the meaning is directly derivable from the constituents and follows a common modifier+noun pattern familiar across languages.
Etymology
Passive source shows a quiet person who is passive and a source of information, like a coworker who mentions news as they go about their day without being asked. That's why it means 'an informant who shares useful details without being tasked to gather them'.