detective

[ dih-tek-tiv ]
See synonyms for: detectivedetectives on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a member of the police force or a private investigator whose function is to obtain information and evidence, as of offenses against the law.

adjective
  1. of or relating to detection or detectives: a detective story.

  2. serving to detect; detecting: various detective devices.

Origin of detective

1
First recorded in 1830–40; detect + -ive

Words Nearby detective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use detective in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for detective

detective

/ (dɪˈtɛktɪv) /


noun
    • a police officer who investigates crimes

    • (as modifier): a detective story

adjective
  1. used in or serving for detection

  2. serving to detect

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012