sleuth

American  

[slooth] / sluθ /

noun

• sleuths
  plural

1. a detective.

   Synonyms:

   shamus, gumshoe, private eye, private investigator, investigator

2. a bloodhound, a dog used for tracking.

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verb (used with or without object)

1. to track or trail, as a detective.

sleuth British  

/ sluːθ /

noun

1. an informal word for detective

2. short for sleuthhound

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verb

1. (tr) to track or follow

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• supersleuth
  noun
• sleuthlike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• sleuths
  plural

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!

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sleuth sleuths

For some amici, I’d sleuth the internet for email addresses, then send a note succinctly explaining our appeal.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

He’s both spook and sleuth and Nixon makes a particular kind of hero’s transition, from pure thinker to man of action.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

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

And there she comes, strawberry-haired Nancy Drew, the girl sleuth, so American and so sure of herself, wearing a round collared blouse and a pencil skirt, wielding her magnifying glass.

From "Lucky Broken Girl" by Ruth Behar

The lawyer for the woman who alleges she was raped at a Cornell University fraternity house says she is "not doing well" as she finds herself "under siege" from online sleuths seeking to identity her.

From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026

Online sleuths have also tried to locate the addresses of the so-called Cornell Seven, leading to at least one case of mistaken identity.

From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026

Internet sleuths also have started using AI to “unmask” suspects in high-profile cases, flooding tip lines with bad information.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

Nonetheless, internet sleuths sussed out that the shirt Chao is wearing on the July 26 photo appears to be the same one she was seen wearing on July 15.

From Salon ● Aug. 3, 2026

Phillips warned his companions to be more quiet, and he himself sat quite still. ambert knew that the sleuths thought he was stark mad.

From Astounding Stories, April, 1931 by Various

Related Words

• gumshoe
• private detective
• private eye