Scotland Yard

American  

noun

1. a short street in central London, England: formerly the site of the London police headquarters, which were removed 1890 to a Thames embankment (New Scotland Yard ).

2. the metropolitan police of London, especially the branch engaged in crime detection.

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Scotland Yard British  

noun

1. Official name: New Scotland Yard.  the headquarters of the police force of metropolitan London, controlled directly by the British Home Office and hence having certain national responsibilities

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Etymology

Origin of Scotland Yard

First recorded in 1860–65

Example Sentences

Scotland Yard had been in talks to use the company's artificial intelligence to speed up criminal investigations.

From BBC • May 22, 2026

Scotland Yard said the risks meant it had to impose the "highest degree of control".

From BBC • May 13, 2026

Officers told an internal Scotland Yard investigation that they routinely used their own phones, and sent images via WhatsApp, because police-issued devices were not good enough to take quality photographs.

From BBC • May 3, 2026

Eighteen people have been arrested on suspicion of supporting Palestine Action after a demonstration outside New Scotland Yard.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

It is weeks before Scotland Yard realizes that The Duke of Wellington is lying on a rack in the Birmingham station luggage office.

From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day