detective

Meaning

Noun

1. A police officer who looks for evidence as part of solving a crime; an investigator.
2. A person employed to find information not otherwise available to the public.

Adj

Employed in detecting.

Concepts

detective

investigator

sleuth

spy

inspector

tec

hawkshaw

police detective

gumshoe

secret agent

intelligence agent

privacy

secrecy

plain-clothesman

secret policeman

examiner

inquirer

shamus

snooper

spook

eavesdropper

wiretapper

plain-clothes man

police spy

policeman

beagle

bloodhound

cops-and-robbers

dee

demon

eye

fink

op

Richard

snoop

split

trap

secret

plainclothesman

probing

dick

private detective

agent

private eye

scout

private dick

Pronounced as (IPA)

/dɪˈtɛktɪv/

Etymology

Ellipsis of detective police.