sleuth
Americannoun
-
a detective.
- Synonyms:
- shamus, gumshoe, private eye, private investigator, investigator
-
a bloodhound, a dog used for tracking.
verb (used with or without object)
noun
-
an informal word for detective
-
short for sleuthhound
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of sleuth
First recorded in 1875–80; short for sleuthhound
Explanation
Sleuth is a fun, sometimes playful, word for "detective." As a verb, it's also what a detective does. When you seek clues, you sleuth. You, sleuth, you! The word sleuth comes from the Old Norse sloth, meaning "trail" and sleuthing is following a trail. One type of bloodhound skilled at following trails is called a sleuthhound, and that word was shortened to sleuth in the late 19th Century, referring to an investigator. As an amateur sleuth, you caught the robber dressed as a mummy before the police did. He would have escaped if not for you, you meddling sleuth!
Vocabulary lists containing sleuth
Lucky Broken Girl
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for October 29–November 4, 2022
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Restaurant Critic Pete Wells' Yummy Words
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Arable farmers may soon be able to stop slugs eating their crops thanks to research by a Shropshire-based university and the work of "slug sleuth" farmers.
From BBC • Jul. 7, 2026
Preparations for the event have been conducted in the utmost secrecy, with top reporters from the usually staid New York Times forced to sleuth through local hotels for hints of the guest list.
From Barron's • Jul. 1, 2026
"There are some similarities between me and my main character but she's much grumpier than me. I'd make a useless sleuth," said Perry.
From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026
Wherever the sleuth goes, the scribe is sure to follow—if about five steps behind.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026
Nancy Drew is a smart and resourceful teenage sleuth who began solving mysteries in the 1930s and continues to solve them to this day.
From "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
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.
