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detective definition

de·tec·tive (dē tek′tiv, di-)

adjective

  1. of or for detection
  2. of detectives and their work

noun

  1. Etymology: short for detective policeman

    a person on a police force, whose work is investigating and trying to solve crimes

  2. Etymology: short for private detective

    a person working privately to investigate crimes, gather information, etc.

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

detective Synonyms

detective

n.

police officer, policeman, agent, plainclothesman, private investigator, private eye*, narcotics agent, police sergeant, FBI agent, Scotland Yard man, sleuth*, shadow*, P.I., operative*, wiretapper, polygraphist, investigator*, criminologist*, member of a crime detection squad, analyst*, prosecutor*, patrolman*, eavesdropper*, spy*, reporter*, shamus*, newshound*, minion of the law*, gumshoe*, flatfoot*, dick*, bloodhound*, hawkshaw*, Sherlock*, bull*, G-man*, copper*, cop*, fed*, narc*, slewfoot*, bug artist*, tail*; see also agent 1, police officer.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

detective Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • bumble: He ran away from home, and created a new identity working as an assistant for bumbling detective Kuruma Jo.

Adjective modifier

  • fictional: Sherlock Holmes, the fictional detective in Arthur Conan Doyle's books, was a regular cocaine user.

Modifies a noun

  • sergeant: The unit will consist of a detective sergeant who will have four detective constables working under him.

Noun used with modifier

  • homicide: In Kiss the Girls: Washington-based homicide detective Alex Cross is thrust into a case he will never forget.
detective usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

detective quotes

I thought that writing a detective story would be a wonderful apprenticeship because, whatever people tell you, a crime novel is not easy to write well. As I continued with my craft I became increasingly fascinated by the form and realized that you can use the formula to say something true about men and women and the society in which they live.

-Baroness

The detective novel is†the classic example of a specialized form of art removed from contact with the life it pretends to build on.

-Pritchett, Sir V(ictor) S(awdon)

The No.1Ladies' Detective Agency.

-Smith, Alexander McCall

detective quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"detective." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/detective>

APA Style

detective. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/detective

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