in·form·ant
noun/ɪnˈfɔːmənt/
/ɪnˈfɔːrmənt/
- a person who gives secret information about somebody/something to the police or the media
（向警方或媒体）提供消息的人，告密者，线人 - a police informant
警方线人 - The journalist refused to reveal the identity of his informant.
该记者拒绝透露线人的身份。
- a police informant
- (specialist) a person who gives somebody information about something, for example to help them with their research
（为研究等）提供资料的人；合作者 - His informants were middle-class professional women.
他的合作者是中产阶级职业妇女。
- His informants were middle-class professional women.