intel
UK[ˈɪntel]US[ˈɪntel]
n
information, especially of a secret or strategic nature, collected by a government or organization
n
a company or organization that collects and analyzes such information
Etymology
The term 'intel' is a 20th-century abbreviation of the noun 'intelligence', specifically in its sense relating to information gathering. The parent word 'intelligence' entered English from Old French 'intelligence', which derived from Latin 'intelligentia' meaning "understanding, knowledge, power of discerning". This Latin term is built on 'intelligere' ("to understand, comprehend"), itself from 'inter-' ("between") and 'legere' ("to choose, pick out, read"). The modern clipped form 'intel' emerged from military and espionage jargon, streamlining the longer word for operational brevity while retaining its core semantic link to collected and analyzed information.
Analysis
The word 'intel' is a clipped form of 'intelligence'. As a simplex word, it cannot be meaningfully segmented into productive morphemes based on its current spelling.
Examples
The agency received fresh intel about the planned operation.
He works in military intel.
We need to act on this intel immediately.