private detective

noun
UK: /ˈpraɪvət dɪˈtektɪv/
US: /ˈpraɪvət dɪˈtektɪv/

  1. A person whose job is to find information that people want to keep secret.

    1. The private detective asked many questions to solve the case.
    2. Hiring a private detective proved to be the only way to uncover the truth about the missing documents.

  2. Someone who is paid to discover information about other people, often for legal or personal reasons.

    1. He hired a private detective to follow his wife and see where she went.
    2. After suspecting corporate espionage, the company employed a private detective to investigate the potential leak.

Synonyms

pi private eye gumshoe sleuth private investigator

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "private detective" in English means: A person whose job is to find information that people want to keep secret., Someone who is paid to discover information about other people, often for legal or personal reasons..

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

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

Example usage of "private detective": "The private detective asked many questions to solve the case.". More examples on the page.