Shill
/ʃɪl/noun
A person who publicly promotes or endorses something while secretly being paid or otherwise biased.
Did you know?The exact origin is uncertain, but by the early 20th century “shill” was already being used in American slang for a planted accomplice at a carnival or con game.
Etymological Timeline
Early 20th Century
English
shill
“A planted accomplice who pretends to be a customer or bystander to lure others in.”
Late 19th–Early 20th Century
American English Slang
shillaber
“A carnival or gambling-game stooge; a person used to deceive onlookers.”
Unknown
English
shill
“Origin uncertain; possibly from earlier slang or a clipped form of a longer word.”
Modern English
English
shill
“A paid promoter or covert booster, especially in advertising, politics, or online deception.”