detective

noun
UK: /dɪˈtektɪv/
US: /dɪˈtektɪv/

  1. A person, often a police officer, whose job is to discover information about crimes and catch criminals.

    1. The detective arrived at the crime scene quickly to start the investigation. [ ] [ ]
    2. A sharp detective noticed a small detail that helped to solve the complex murder case. [ ] [ ]

  2. A person who investigates and solves mysteries, often in a fictional story.

    1. My little brother wants to be a detective when he grows up, like Sherlock Holmes. [ ] [ ]
    2. The main detective character in the novel was intelligent and very observant in crime investigations. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

investigator private eye sleuth
detective adjective

  1. Relating to the discovering and investigation of crime.

    1. She watches detective movies all the time, she loves crime and investigations. [ ] [ ]
    2. The detective work required careful attention to detail and a methodical approach to evidence. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "detective" in English means: A person, often a police officer, whose job is to discover information about crimes and catch criminals., A person who investigates and solves mysteries, often in a fictional story..

The phonetic transcription of "detective" is /dɪˈtektɪv/ in British English and /dɪˈtektɪv/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "detective": investigator, private eye, sleuth.

Example usage of "detective": "The detective arrived at the crime scene quickly to start the investigation.". More examples on the page.