detection

American  

[dih-tek-shuhn] / dɪˈtɛk ʃən /

noun

detections plural

1. the act of detecting.

2. the fact of being detected.

3. discovery, as of error or crime.

   chance detection of smuggling.

4. Telecommunications.

   1. rectification of alternating signal currents in a radio receiver.

   2. Also called demodulation.  the conversion of an alternating, modulated carrier wave or current into a direct, pulsating current equivalent to the transmitted information-bearing signal.

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detection British  

/ dɪˈtɛkʃən /

noun

1. the act of discovering or the fact of being discovered

   detection of crime

2. the act or process of extracting information, esp at audio or video frequencies, from an electromagnetic wave See also demodulation

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• predetection
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• detections
  plural

Etymology

Origin of detection

1425–75; late Middle English < Late Latin dētēctiōn- (stem of dētēctiō ), equivalent to Latin dētēct ( us ) ( see detect) + -iōn- -ion

Explanation

Detection is the act of noticing or discovering something. At the airport, you might see German Shepherds trained in the detection of drug smuggling or explosives in luggage. Detection, detect, detective, detector — all are about noticing and discovering. A detective looks for clues that lead to the detection of the person who committed a crime. A metal detector is a machine created for the detection of coins people have left behind on the beach. Some teachers seem to have a third eye they use primarily for the detection of kids passing notes, or checking their cell phones during class.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

detection detections

Tests using external AI detection tools also in some cases failed to identify the Google Earth AI-content.

From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026

These approaches can require complicated equipment, precise alignment, angular measurements, or coincidence detection.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026

This can be done by integrating watermarks and other markers to allow the easy detection of AI-generated content.

From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026

Past findings produced by Wada suggest micro-dosing could evade detection methods, and so the scope to cheat in professional sport remains, meaning all efforts must be taken to ensure nobody beats the system.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

He seized the opportunity to get some food for Eb without detection.

From "Across Five Aprils" by Irene Hunt

A spokesperson for California’s Dept. of Pesticide Regulation, which oversees pesticide use, said the EWG report looked at detections of the PFAS, but the state “looks at how the detections compare to federal tolerance levels.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026

This helped eliminate extremely weak false detections as well as unusually strong instrumental artifacts that typically appear in only one antenna.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 14, 2026

This includes inadequately documented air arrivals, recorded detections at UK ports, and other recorded detections within the UK.

From BBC ● May 21, 2026

"We do have surprise patrols, but still there have been a couple of incidents where poachers came within five kilometres of the island, and there have been other detections and detentions."

From Barron's ● May 18, 2026

One game was a paper with lines in all detections and lots of boxs.

From "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes

Related Words

• disclosure