suspect

sus·pect

Use suspect in a sentence

noun

The definition of a suspect is a person believed to have committed a crime.
An example of a suspect is a person seen leaving the scene of a robbery with one of the stolen televisions.

verb

Suspect is defined as to think something is likely or believe someone has done something wrong or is guilty of something.
An example of to suspect is a girlfriend thinking her boyfriend is cheating on her.

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MLA Style

"suspect." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 21 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Suspect>.

APA Style

suspect. (n.d.). Retrieved January 21st, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Suspect

suspect

to believe (someone) to be guilty of something specified, on little or no evidence
to believe to be bad, wrong, harmful, questionable, etc.; distrust
to think it probable or likely; guess; surmise; suppose

Origin of suspect

Late Middle English suspecten from Classical Latin suspectus, past participle of suspicere, to look under, look up to, admire, also to mistrust from sus- (see sub-), under + specere, to look (see spy)

to be suspicious; have suspicion

viewed with suspicion; suspected

a person who is suspected, esp. one suspected of a crime, etc.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"suspect." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 21 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Suspect>.

APA Style

suspect. (n.d.). Retrieved January 21st, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Suspect

suspect

verb

sus·pect·ed, sus·pect·ing, sus·pects

verb

transitive

To consider (something) to be true or probable on little or no evidence: I suspect they are very disappointed.
To have doubts about (something); distrust: I suspect his motives.
To consider (a person) guilty without proof: The police suspect her of murder.

verb

intransitive

To have suspicion.

noun

One who is suspected, especially of having committed a crime.

adjective

Open to or viewed with suspicion: a suspect policy; suspect motives.

Origin of suspect

Middle English suspecten from Old French suspecter from Latin suspectāre frequentative of suspicere to look up at, suspect su-, sub- from below ; see sub- . specere to look at ; see spek- in Indo-European roots.

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"suspect." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 21 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Suspect>.

APA Style

suspect. (n.d.). Retrieved January 21st, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Suspect

Verb

(third-person singular simple present suspects, present participle suspecting, simple past and past participle suspected)

To imagine or suppose (something) to be true, or to exist, without proof.
to suspect the presence of disease
To distrust or have doubts about (something or someone).
to suspect the truth of a story
To believe (someone) to be guilty.
I suspect him of being the thief.
(intransitive) To have suspicion.

Noun

(plural suspects)

A person who is suspected of something, in particular of committing a crime.
Round up the usual suspects. "” Casablanca

Adjective

(comparative more suspect, superlative most suspect)

Viewed with suspicion; suspected.

Related terms

Origin

Latin suspectus, perfect passive participle of suspiciÅ (“mistrust, suspect"), from sus-, combining form of sub (“under"), + speciÅ (“watch, look at").

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.