English
intelligence-gathering
From intelligence + gathering.
A compound of intelligence + gathering
Latin intellegō ‘to understand’
Latin intellegēns ‘understanding’
Latin intellegentia ‘intelligence’
Old French intelligence ‘comprehension’
Middle English intelligence ‘comprehension’
English intelligence
Proto-West Germanic *gadur ‘together, gathered’
Proto-West Germanic *gadurōn ‘to gather, bring together’
Old English gaderian ‘to bring together, gather’
Old English gaderung ‘gathering, assembly’
Middle English gadering
English gathering
Today it means
noun The process of collecting information in order to gain knowledge about a situation or adversary, often performed clandestinely.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / intelligence-gathering