detective — a police officer whose job is to investigate crimes and catch criminals
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a police officer whose job is to investigate crimes and catch criminals
Pronunciation (IPA): /dɪˈtektɪv/
Example Sentences
- The detective interrogated the suspect while eating donuts, because apparently that's mandatory in cop movies.
- She hired a detective to find out why her cat keeps disappearing every Tuesday.
- The experienced detective could solve most cases just by looking at the evidence.
detective
NOUN[/dɪˈtektɪv/]
a police officer whose job is to investigate crimes and catch criminals
The detective spots a hidden footprint everyone else missed.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word derives from Latin 'detectus', the past participle of 'detegere', meaning 'to uncover' or 'to expose'. The term evolved to describe a person who uncovers hidden truths and exposes crimes by removing the metaphorical 'cover' concealing them.
Breakdown
de- (away, off) + tegere (to cover) = detect (to uncover); the suffix -ive forms an adjective, later used as a noun for one who detects.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The detective interrogated the suspect while eating donuts, because apparently that's mandatory in cop movies.”
“She hired a detective to find out why her cat keeps disappearing every Tuesday.”
“The experienced detective could solve most cases just by looking at the evidence.”
“My mom has detective-level skills when it comes to finding out who ate the last cookie.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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