Interpol

American

[in-ter-pohl] / ˈɪn tərˌpoʊl /

noun

an official international agency that coordinates the police activities of more than 100 member nations: organized in 1923 with headquarters in Paris.

Interpol British

/ ˈɪntəˌpɒl /

acronym

International Criminal Police Organization, an association of over 100 national police forces, devoted chiefly to fighting international crime

"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

Etymology

Origin of Interpol

Inter(national Criminal) Pol(ice Organization)

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.

She also said Xi had responded "positively" to her proposal that the sides work toward Taiwan participating in international organisations such as Interpol and regional trade agreements.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

Lyons was the subject of an Interpol Red Notice and was detained on the same day his wife, Amanda, was arrested in Dubai.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026

The office charged with contacting Interpol didn’t follow through because of a procedural issue.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

He directed the country’s international police liaison to coordinate with Interpol to hunt down the accused abroad.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

“But when the Japanese found a second one, they shared the print with Interpol and the FBI, who found a match.”

From "City Spies" by James Ponti

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023