investigator
n.a person whose job is to find out the truth about something, like a crime or a scientific problem. They look for clues and ask questions to solve a mystery.
n.a person who carries out a formal inquiry or systematic examination to uncover facts or determine the cause of an event. Often used in legal, scientific, or journalistic contexts.
“The lead investigator found a new clue at the scene.”
“The insurance company sent an investigator to check the damage before paying for the repairs.”
“Following the sudden collapse of the bridge, a federal investigator was appointed to determine whether the failure was due to poor maintenance or a structural design flaw.”
Commonly modified by adjectives like 'lead', 'private', or 'principal' to specify the person's rank or field.
Usage principal investigator
“A preliminary report by US investigators says an engine fan blade broke on last month's flight from Greece to Germany.”
“Broken engine parts were responsible for shattering a window on a Ryanair plane, causing a passenger to be partly sucked out mid-flight in July, US investigators have said.”
Common in science writing
Attested in the mid‐16th century; from Latin investigator, from investigare, equivalent to investigate + -or.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.