# detective

/dɪˈtɛktɪv/ (US) · /dɪtˈɛktɪv/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/detective
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. police investigator

noun · CEFR A2

a police officer whose job is to find information and solve crimes.

For teachers: a police officer assigned to investigate crimes and gather evidence for prosecution.

- The detective arrived at the house to look for fingerprints and talk to witnesses.
- The lead detective spent weeks reviewing the forensic evidence before making a formal arrest in the high-profile case.

### 2. private investigator

noun · CEFR B1

a person you hire to find out secret information for you.

For teachers: a private individual hired to conduct investigations or surveillance on behalf of a client.

- She hired a private detective to find her missing brother.
- The private detective provided the client with a detailed report regarding the subject's movements over the previous weekend.

### 3. related to investigation

adjective · CEFR B1

used to describe work or stories about solving crimes.

For teachers: relating to the work of a detective or the process of investigation.

- I love reading detective novels because I like trying to guess who did it.
- The author is famous for her intricate detective fiction, which often features a brilliant but eccentric protagonist.

## Examples

- The detective looks for clues at the house.
- After interviewing several witnesses, the detective realized that the suspect had a solid alibi for the night of the robbery.
- While uniform officers secured the perimeter, the lead detective meticulously documented the placement of every item in the room to reconstruct the sequence of events.

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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.