investigator
Britishnoun
Explanation
Every crime novel has an investigator, someone whose job it is to discover the truth. Not all investigators solve crimes, but to be an investigator you need to work hard to figure things out. A private investigator knocks at your door. Do you let him in? He probably only wants to ask questions, because that’s what investigators do: they research. Scientists are investigators, so are police officers, and even your friend who reads lots of books about butterflies can be considered an investigator. Rooted in the Latin word vestigare, meaning “trace out,” investigators gather facts in order to trace out the whole picture.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A prosecutor obtains it by presenting to a federal magistrate judge a probable-cause affidavit signed by an investigator.
From Slate ● Nov. 3, 2026
UC San Diego helped establish the observatory, and Brian Keating, a Distinguished Professor of Physics at the university, serves as its principal investigator.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 2, 2026
The charges in Utah stem from an undercover operation in which a state investigator opened a Kalshi account under a false name in September and placed 12 wagers on professional and college sports.
From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026
An investigator traced a $21,000 business scam to Stafford’s account, revealing his online love interest was actually a married couple in Nigeria.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2026
The leading early investigator, G. K. Gilbert of Columbia University, modeled the effects of impacts by flinging marbles into pans of oatmeal.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
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