# DET

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/det
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. grammar: determiner

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

Stands for determiner. You use this to label words like 'the', 'a', or 'this' that come before a noun.

For teachers: Abbreviation for determiner. Used in linguistic analysis to categorise functional words that specify the reference of a noun phrase.

- In your grammar exercise, please mark each 'the' and 'some' as a DET.
- The student correctly identified the possessive pronoun as a DET within the syntactic tree diagram.

### 2. military: detachment

noun · CEFR C1 · American English · Technical

Stands for detachment. It refers to a small group of soldiers sent away from a larger group for a special task.

For teachers: Abbreviation for detachment. Refers to a permanent or temporary unit separated from a higher command for a specific mission.

- The general sent a small DET to guard the bridge during the night.
- The operational report indicated that the DET had successfully established a forward observation post three miles from the main battalion.

### 3. chemistry: diethyltryptamine

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

Stands for diethyltryptamine. This is a powerful chemical that can change how a person sees or feels things.

For teachers: Abbreviation for diethyltryptamine. A psychedelic drug and structural analog of dimethyltryptamine (DMT).

- The scientist studied the effects of DET on the brain in the laboratory.
- Research into the pharmacological properties of DET suggests a high affinity for serotonin receptors, similar to other tryptamine derivatives.

### 4. job title: detective

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

A short way of writing detective, often used in police reports or on office doors.

For teachers: Abbreviation for detective. Frequently employed as a written honorific or shorthand in law enforcement documentation.

- The file was marked for the attention of DET Miller.
- The witness requested to speak directly with DET Henderson regarding the new evidence found at the scene.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.