sleuth — a detective, especially a private investigator
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a detective, especially a private investigator
Pronunciation (IPA): /sluːθ/
Example Sentences
- My grandmother is quite the sleuth when it comes to neighborhood gossip.
- The cyber sleuth tracked down the hacker using digital footprints.
- Stop sleuthing through my browser history!
sleuth
NOUN[/sluːθ/]
a detective, especially a private investigator
a detective, especially a private investigator
The sleuth finds truth in the booth!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word derives from Old Norse slóð, meaning 'track' or 'trail'. In the 19th century, as detective fiction gained popularity, the term evolved to denote a person who follows clues, acquiring its modern sense of 'detective'.
Breakdown
slóð (Old Norse: track, trail) → sleuth (one who follows tracks; detective). The semantic shift reflects the metaphorical extension from literal tracking to investigative pursuit.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My grandmother is quite the sleuth when it comes to neighborhood gossip.”
“The cyber sleuth tracked down the hacker using digital footprints.”
“Stop sleuthing through my browser history!”
“The young sleuth discovered the missing homework under the couch.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
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