private investigator
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of private investigator
First recorded in 1935–40
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.
"When I was growing up, I dreamed about becoming a private investigator," she said.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 16, 2026
His friends hired a private investigator and hung fliers begging him to come back.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
The investigation was officially reopened in June 2024 after a private investigator hired by her son passed a 24-page report to Greek authorities.
From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026
To the side stood private investigator Carmelo Castañeda.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026
Don your detective cap and become your own private investigator!
From "The Science of Breakable Things" by Tae Keller
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
