sleuth

American  

[slooth] / sluθ /

noun

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

• sleuthlike adjective
• supersleuth noun

Etymology

Origin of sleuth

First recorded in 1875–80; short for sleuthhound

Example Sentences

ABC’s ‘R.J. Decker’ stars Scott Speedman as the titular detective reminiscent of Jim Rockford, whereas Prime Video’s ‘Young Sherlock’ gives Arthur Conan Doyle’s sleuth an origin story.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 4, 2026

George Cross, the hero of a mystery series by Tim Sullivan, is an unconventional sleuth in the great British tradition that extends from Father Brown to the Thursday Murder Club.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 28, 2025

But she’s a reluctant sleuth in a knotty case with a head full of noise and a shaky hand on the lighter.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 13, 2025

Glenn Whipp bemoans the unlikelihood of Daniel Craig earning an acting nod as sly sleuth Benoit Blanc.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 23, 2025

In detective stories, when the sleuth revisits the scene of the crime, he nearly always finds a clue that has been overlooked by the ordinary police.

From "The London Eye Mystery" by Siobhan Dowd

Related Words

• gumshoe
• private detective
• private eye