private detective

American  

noun

1. a detective who is not a member of an official force but is employed by private parties.

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private detective British  

noun

1. Also called: private investigator. an individual privately employed to investigate a crime, keep watch on a suspected person, or make other inquiries

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Etymology

Origin of private detective

First recorded in 1865–70

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

private detective

Dan leaves the police for a private detective agency in “Pacific,” but tailing adulterers makes him miserable, and the region falls into chaos without him to look after it.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026

The court heard how Robinson used a private detective to obtain telephone numbers and emails for the journalists.

From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026

Confidential,’” says Chhiu of the stunts in “Spider-Noir,” which follows Cage as a hardened private detective confronting the criminal underbelly of 1930s New York.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

A private detective, Auguste Bell, arrives to solve the crime.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 12, 2025

In January 1919, after the police detained Middleton and his companion, the private detective interrogated them.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

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Related Words

• detective
• gumshoe
• private eye
• private investigator
• sleuth

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