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whodunit

American  
[hoo-duhn-it] / huˈdʌn ɪt /
especially British, whodunnit

noun

Informal.

  1. a narrative dealing with a murder or a series of murders and the detection of the criminal; detective story.

Etymology

Origin of whodunit

1925–30; jocular formation from question Who done it?, for standard English Who did it?

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.

Another set of noteworthy entries from 2025 engage with classic whodunit scenarios.

From The Wall Street Journal

Thomas knew early on that the show, which portrays solved crimes in a whodunit format, should feel like storytelling around a campfire, according to senior producer Vince Sherry.

From The Wall Street Journal

A whodunit is a bit like a basketball game: The last few minutes are all that really matter.

From The Wall Street Journal

The “Knives Out” whodunits are about classic filmmaking delights: smart scripts, sharp jokes and big stars.

From Los Angeles Times

Tom Nolan solves the mystery of what to give nearly any reader: new editions of classic whodunits and fresh cases to solve as well.

From The Wall Street Journal

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.