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private detective
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noun
a detective who is not a member of an official force but is employed by private parties.
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Also called private investigator.
Origin of private detective
First recorded in 1865–70
Words nearby private detective
private, private bar, private bill, private brand, private company, private detective, private enterprise, private equity, private-equity company, private equity fund, privateer
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use private detective in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for private detective
private detective
noun
an individual privately employed to investigate a crime, keep watch on a suspected person, or make other inquiriesAlso called: private investigator
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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