Dictionary

detective en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /dɪˈtɛktɪv/ weak vowel distinction
• (US) audio
• (Southern-England) audio
• [dɪˈtʰɛktʰɪv] weak vowel distinction
• [dəˈtʰɛktʰɪv] weak vowel merger
• /dəˈtɛktɪv/ weak vowel merger

Etymology

The adjective is from Classical Latin dētēct-, past participial stem of dētegō (“to detect”), + -ive. By surface analysis, detect + -ive. Noun sense 1 is an ellipsis of detective policeman, detective officer, or a similar construction. The later more general noun sense 2 was derived by extension. The verb is also from the noun. Noun sense 3 (“a work of detective fiction”) is a semantic loan from Dutch detective and Russian детекти́в (detektív), both from English.

Meanings

1. (not-comparable) Employed in detecting.

detective en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /dɪˈtɛktɪv/ weak vowel distinction
• (US) audio
• (Southern-England) audio
• [dɪˈtʰɛktʰɪv] weak vowel distinction
• [dəˈtʰɛktʰɪv] weak vowel merger
• /dəˈtɛktɪv/ weak vowel merger

Etymology

The adjective is from Classical Latin dētēct-, past participial stem of dētegō (“to detect”), + -ive. By surface analysis, detect + -ive. Noun sense 1 is an ellipsis of detective policeman, detective officer, or a similar construction. The later more general noun sense 2 was derived by extension. The verb is also from the noun. Noun sense 3 (“a work of detective fiction”) is a semantic loan from Dutch detective and Russian детекти́в (detektív), both from English.

Meanings

1. A police officer tasked with collecting evidence and information in order to solve a crime; an investigator.
   • The detective kept them in view. He made his way casually along the inside of the shelter until he reached an open scuttle close to where the two men were standing talking. Eavesdropping was not a thing Larard would have practised from choice, but there were times when, in the public interest, he had to do it, and this was one of them. 1928, Lawrence R. Bourne, chapter 7, in Well Tackled!:
   • He worked as a detective with the agency for five years.
2. A person employed to find information not otherwise available to the public.
   • Had they responded this way in France or America, this wouldn't have surprised me, but wasn't everyone in England supposed to be a detective? Wasn't every crime, no matter how complex, solved in a timely fashion by either a professional or a hobbyist? That's the impression you get from British books and TV shows. Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple, Hetty Wainthropp, Inspector George Gently: they come from every class and corner of the country. There’s even Edith Pargeter's Brother Cadfael, a Benedictine monk who solved crimes in twelfth-century Shrewsbury. No surveillance cameras, no fingerprints, not even a telephone, and still he cracked every case that came his way. 2013 March 25, David Sedaris, "Long Way Home" in The New Yorker
   • […] Sherlock Holmes remarked calmly. […] "Well, I have a trade of my own. I suppose I am the only one in the world. I'm a consulting detective, if you can understand what that is. Here in London we have lots of Government detectives and lots of private ones. When these fellows are at fault they come to me, and I manage to put them on the right scent. They lay all the evidence before me, and I am generally able, by the help of my knowledge of the history of crime, to set them straight. There is a strong family resemblance about misdeeds, and if you have all the details of a thousand at your finger ends, it is odd if you can't unravel the thousand and first.[…]" 1887, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “A Study in Scarlet”, in Beeton’s Christmas Annual, London; New York, N.Y.: Ward, Lock & Co., part I (Being a reprint from the reminiscences of John H. Watson, M.D., […]), chapter II (The Science of Deduction), pages 12–13:
3. (qualifier:non-native speakers' English, rare) A work of detective fiction.
   • Read books that are of interest to you (no matter what kinds of, I, for instance, read detectives, help a lot), try not to use Engl-Russ. Dict. while reading; […] 1997 May 15, Mourzenko, “”, in relcom.humor (Usenet):
   • I very^([sic]) like classic Russian literature. Besides it I read detectives by Chase, newspapers and magazines with news and interesting topics. 1999 October 13, [Anastassia] <nasta123@mail.ru>, “Looking for prince...”, in soc.penpals (Usenet):
   • SI-Fi stands for Science Fiction? I never read SF, with one exception: Jules Verne as a child. Gene, you are right: never heard of Douglas Adams. (Nor do I read detectives, except one or two as a youth). 2003 April 19, pieter, “Gene Ward Smith Shrine now online!!!”, in talk.religion.course-miracle (Usenet):

Forms

Deriveds

detective sergeant · detective work · woman detective constable · detectivelike · nondetective · detective chief superintendent · antidetective · detective constable · detective superintendent · private detective · superdetective · detective story · detective gag · stump detective · cyberdetective · detectiving · dogtective · house detective · store detective · detective chief inspector · detective inspector

Descendants

detective · Detektiv · detektiv · detective · détective · детекти́в · detektiv · детекти́в · detetive · ντετέκτιβ · detektiv · detectiu · ντεντέκτιβ

Hypernyms

investigator · investigator · police officer · cop

Hyponyms

eye · superdick · private investigator · superdetective · shamus · supersleuth · private detective · private dick · cybersleuth · PI · cyberdetective · private eye · house dick · snoop · house detective

Relateds

detection · detector · detect

Synonyms

private investigator · investigator · Hercule Poirot · bloodhound · private dick · DT · Jessica Fletcher · police detective · Miss Marple · sleuth · gumshoe · detective · gumshoe · sleuth · Sherlock · 'tec · dick · dick · hawkshaw · sleuthhound · Det. · Det · inspector · bloodhound · sleuth · Sherlock · private detective · DT · beagle · Dick Tracy

Translations (203)

kk детектив (police officer who looks for evidence) · ru сы́щик (police officer who looks for evidence) · is leynilögreglumaður (police officer who looks for evidence) · fur investigadôr (police officer who looks for evidence) · hi अन्वेषक (police officer who looks for evidence) · mi titeketiwhi (police officer who looks for evidence) · it investigatore (police officer who looks for evidence) · ms mata gelap (police officer who looks for evidence) · cy ditectif (person employed to find information) · ur سُراغ رَساں (police officer who looks for evidence) · bn গোয়েন্দা (police officer who looks for evidence) · io detektivo (police officer who looks for evidence) · fi yksityisetsivä (person employed to find information) · km អ្នកយកការណ៍ (police officer who looks for evidence) · sk detektív (police officer who looks for evidence) · kk тыңшы (police officer who looks for evidence) · cmn 警探 (police officer who looks for evidence) · yi דעטעקטיוו (person employed to find information) · pl oficer śledczy (police officer who looks for evidence) · tk sülçi (police officer who looks for evidence) · ko 사립탐정 (person employed to find information) · uk детекти́в (police officer who looks for evidence) · nn politietterforskar (police officer who looks for evidence) · de Detektiv (police officer who looks for evidence) · hu detektív (police officer who looks for evidence) · nl detective (police officer who looks for evidence) · km រន្ឋគវេសី (police officer who looks for evidence) · ur جاسُوس (police officer who looks for evidence) · de Privatdetektiv (person employed to find information) · bn গুপ্তচর (police officer who looks for evidence) · cmn 偵探 /侦探 (police officer who looks for evidence) · ca detectiu (person employed to find information) · eo detektivino (person employed to find information) · de Ermittlerin (police officer who looks for evidence) · eo detektivo (person employed to find information) · cmn 探員 /探员 (police officer who looks for evidence) · ru детекти́в (police officer who looks for evidence) · mi tekitiwhi (police officer who looks for evidence) · th นักสืบ (police officer who looks for evidence) · ps سراغي (police officer who looks for evidence) · bg разузнава́ч (person employed to find information) · nn detektiv (police officer who looks for evidence) · ca detectiu (police officer who looks for evidence) · he בַּלָּשׁ (person employed to find information) · fr enquêteur (person employed to find information) · tg корогоҳ (police officer who looks for evidence) · ga lorgaire (person employed to find information) · nl rechercheur (police officer who looks for evidence) · km ហិតប្រណី (police officer who looks for evidence) · ro detectiv (police officer who looks for evidence) · el ντετέκτιβ (person employed to find information) · sq detektiv (police officer who looks for evidence) · ur کھوجی (police officer who looks for evidence) · is rannsóknarlögreglumaður (police officer who looks for evidence) · la inquīsītor (police officer who looks for evidence) · mt spjuna (person employed to find information) · pt detetive (police officer who looks for evidence) · km គិញ (police officer who looks for evidence) · sv kriminalpolis (police officer who looks for evidence) · ast detective (police officer who looks for evidence) · be дэтэкты́ў (police officer who looks for evidence) · ja 刑事 (police officer who looks for evidence) · cmn 私家偵探 /私家侦探 (person employed to find information) · ga bleachtaire (person employed to find information) · nl detective (person employed to find information) · et detektiiv (person employed to find information) · pl śledczy (police officer who looks for evidence) · km ចារបុរស (police officer who looks for evidence) · de Privatdetektivin (person employed to find information) · es inspector (police officer who looks for evidence) · sl detektiv (police officer who looks for evidence) · ky тыңчы (police officer who looks for evidence) · vi thám tử (police officer who looks for evidence) · az detektiv (police officer who looks for evidence) · pl detektyw (person employed to find information) · cy ditectif (police officer who looks for evidence) · bg детекти́в (police officer who looks for evidence) · nb politietterforsker (police officer who looks for evidence) · fa-ira کارْآگاه (police officer who looks for evidence) · fy resjersjeur (police officer who looks for evidence) · hi जाँचकर्ता (police officer who looks for evidence) · hy խուզարկու (person employed to find information) · ky аңдуучу (police officer who looks for evidence) · he בַּלָּשִׁית (person employed to find information) · hy խուզարկու (police officer who looks for evidence) · ko 탐정 (police officer who looks for evidence) · cs detektiv (person employed to find information) · el ερευνήτρια (person employed to find information) · ko 형사 (police officer who looks for evidence) · it investigatore (person employed to find information) · sv kriminalare (police officer who looks for evidence) · ru ище́йка (police officer who looks for evidence) · io detektivo (person employed to find information) · sh истра̀житељ (police officer who looks for evidence) · pt detetive (person employed to find information) · sh istràžitelj (police officer who looks for evidence) · mk и́следник (person employed to find information) · lo ນັກສືບ (police officer who looks for evidence) · da privatdetektiv (person employed to find information) · it detective (person employed to find information) · my စုံထောက် (police officer who looks for evidence) · ms detektif (police officer who looks for evidence) · ceb detektib (person employed to find information) · rm investigader (police officer who looks for evidence) · pl detektyw (police officer who looks for evidence) · sh detèktīv (police officer who looks for evidence) · he בַּלָּשִׁית (police officer who looks for evidence) · el ερευνητής (police officer who looks for evidence) · fr détective (person employed to find information) · tg муфаттиши махфӣ (police officer who looks for evidence) · fr détective (police officer who looks for evidence) · kmr dedektîf (police officer who looks for evidence) · el ιδιωτικός ερευνητής (person employed to find information) · ru сы́щик (person employed to find information) · el ιδιωτική ερευνήτρια (person employed to find information) · ps موشک (police officer who looks for evidence) · uk ни́шпорка (police officer who looks for evidence) · tg муфаттиш (police officer who looks for evidence) · lt detektyvas (police officer who looks for evidence) · yi דעטעקטיוו (police officer who looks for evidence) · el αστυνομικός ερευνητής (police officer who looks for evidence) · gl detective (police officer who looks for evidence) · hu nyomozó (police officer who looks for evidence) · cmn 偵探 /侦探 (person employed to find information) · ceb detektib (police officer who looks for evidence) · be шука́ч (police officer who looks for evidence) · cs detektiv (police officer who looks for evidence) · da detektiv (person employed to find information) · de Privatermittlerin (person employed to find information) · ru операти́вник (police officer who looks for evidence) · id detektif (police officer who looks for evidence) · ko 탐정 (person employed to find information) · ja 探偵 (person employed to find information) · hi खोजी (police officer who looks for evidence) · ka დეტექტივი (police officer who looks for evidence) · mi kairapuhara (police officer who looks for evidence) · de Detektivin (police officer who looks for evidence) · de Ermittler (police officer who looks for evidence) · tl tiktik (police officer who looks for evidence) · hu detektív (person employed to find information) · nb detektiv (police officer who looks for evidence) · uz aygʻoqchi (police officer who looks for evidence) · he בַּלָּשׁ (police officer who looks for evidence) · eo policana detektivo (police officer who looks for evidence) · sh детѐктӣв (police officer who looks for evidence) · hi गुप्तचर (police officer who looks for evidence) · ru сле́дователь (police officer who looks for evidence) · hi गुप्तचर (person employed to find information) · be сле́дчы (police officer who looks for evidence) · es detective (police officer who looks for evidence) · mt spjun (person employed to find information) · la inquīsītor (person employed to find information) · nl speurder (police officer who looks for evidence) · th นักสืบ (person employed to find information) · fr enquêteuse (person employed to find information) · ky сыщик (police officer who looks for evidence) · el ντετέκτιβ (police officer who looks for evidence) · ja 私立探偵 (person employed to find information) · nl speurder (person employed to find information) · rm detectiv (person employed to find information) · he חוֹקֵר (police officer who looks for evidence) · mt ditektiv (police officer who looks for evidence) · ar مُحَقِّق (police officer who looks for evidence) · el ερευνητής (person employed to find information) · tr dedektif (police officer who looks for evidence) · cmn 私人偵探 /私人侦探 (person employed to find information) · de Privatermittler (person employed to find information) · hu magánnyomozó (person employed to find information) · sv detektiv (police officer who looks for evidence) · ru детекти́в (person employed to find information) · az xəfiyyəçi (police officer who looks for evidence) · ms penyiasat (person employed to find information) · gl detective (person employed to find information) · id detektif (person employed to find information) · et detektiiv (police officer who looks for evidence) · de Detektiv (person employed to find information) · fi etsivä (police officer who looks for evidence) · uk си́щик (police officer who looks for evidence) · uz detektiv (police officer who looks for evidence) · mk детекти́в (police officer who looks for evidence) · de Schnüffler (person employed to find information) · az xəfiyyə (police officer who looks for evidence) · ga bleachtaire (police officer who looks for evidence) · sv detektiv (person employed to find information) · uk сліде́ць (police officer who looks for evidence) · de Detektivin (person employed to find information) · es investigador privado (person employed to find information) · de Schnüfflerin (person employed to find information) · tr hafiye (police officer who looks for evidence) · vi thám tử tư (person employed to find information) · mk истра́жител (person employed to find information) · sl detektivka (police officer who looks for evidence) · de Ermittler (person employed to find information) · ur سُراغی (police officer who looks for evidence) · hi जासूस (police officer who looks for evidence) · mn мөрдөгч (police officer who looks for evidence) · it investigatrice (person employed to find information) · ja 探偵 (police officer who looks for evidence) · lv detektīvs (police officer who looks for evidence) · kmr xefiye (police officer who looks for evidence) · da detektiv (police officer who looks for evidence) · he חוֹקֶרֶת (police officer who looks for evidence) · es detective (person employed to find information)

wikidata: Q842782

detective en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /dɪˈtɛktɪv/ weak vowel distinction
• (US) audio
• (Southern-England) audio
• [dɪˈtʰɛktʰɪv] weak vowel distinction
• [dəˈtʰɛktʰɪv] weak vowel merger
• /dəˈtɛktɪv/ weak vowel merger

Etymology

The adjective is from Classical Latin dētēct-, past participial stem of dētegō (“to detect”), + -ive. By surface analysis, detect + -ive. Noun sense 1 is an ellipsis of detective policeman, detective officer, or a similar construction. The later more general noun sense 2 was derived by extension. The verb is also from the noun. Noun sense 3 (“a work of detective fiction”) is a semantic loan from Dutch detective and Russian детекти́в (detektív), both from English.

Meanings

1. (informal, intransitive, uncommon) To be or act as or like a detective.
   • Truthfully, if this guy just wants information, his time is better spent detectiving instead of lawyering. If he actually files and subpoenas though, the information is really easy to compel in many cases. 2003 November 2, Chas, “Seriously considering filing lawsuit.....not a joke.”, in misc.legal (Usenet):
   • Unfortunately for classics in England, the time when Erasmus and his mates got detectiving and sorted out more or less how classical Greek and Latin had been pronounced just preceded the great Vowel Shift in English, so when all the English long vowels made their exciting trek round the mouth they took the fresh new Latin ones with them for the ride. 1998 May 3, Colin Fine, “Seezer or Kaiser - Spoken Latin”, in sci.lang (Usenet):
   • The terminal server manager has to go detectiving around every so often collecting up these ``idle osf users and manually log out their ports on the terminal server. 1995 November 1, System Janitor, “LAT sessions hang...”, in comp.unix.osf.osf1 (Usenet):
2. (informal, transitive, uncommon) To investigate or find information about (someone or something) as or like a detective.
   • It's a response to his challenge when I asked where "up here" is. So I'm going to tell him _exactly_ where "up here" is as soon as I have "detectived" it. 2001 December 30, Johnny Johnson, “Venom Take 2”, in alt.hi-po.big-block-ford-mercury (Usenet):
   • Next, I called my mother. I called up, again detectiving the phone number (I haven't had contact with them for nine years, my decision but no thought to them) and the father answered the phone. I almost vomited. You know what strangely broke my heart? That I couldn't recognize the voice of my own "father". 2000 April 19, Poettttt, “It was a dark and stormy night.... a long Empost.”, in alt.support.eating-disord (Usenet):
   • That sounds like such a super fun game. Wish I'd been there to try it myself or watch you and hear what you were detectiving. 2006 March 16, Polly Esther, “I won!”, in rec.crafts.textiles.quilting (Usenet):
   • But, what is a jew^([sic]) doing giving a child the protection of a Catholic umbella during WWII? And that the country wasn't mentioned, is curious, or that nationality. Polish Jew? German Jew? etc. for this information has merit for detectiving the papers. 1998 January 4, jeanne khan, quoting Mr. G., “sources for poems/disc. of G and J/your”, in rec.arts.poems (Usenet):
   • After that he had problems when, while going back in USA for a movie premiere and discovered USA authority was detectiving his wife, Christian, that was a german^([sic]) on left politic side, and he decided to never get back to USA. 2005 March 16, [Michele] <micheleulisse@yahoo.com>, “kubrick and artistic freedom and the wandering jewster”, in alt.movies.kubrick (Usenet):

Forms

Relateds

detectiving