# TEC

/ˈtɛk/ (US) · CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/tec
Updated: 2026-05-11

## Definition

a slang word for a detective. It is a short way of saying 'detective' that you might hear in old crime movies or read in books.

For teachers: a colloquial or slang term for a detective. Derived as a clipping of 'detective', it is primarily found in mid-20th-century hardboiled fiction and noir cinema.

## Examples

- The private tec followed the suspect through the rain.
- He hired a local tec to find out who had been sending the anonymous letters to his office.
- While modern police procedurals focus on forensic science, the classic noir novel often centers on a lone tec navigating the city's corrupt underbelly with nothing but a trench coat and a hunch.

## Usage notes

- Informal and somewhat dated; typically used in the context of crime fiction or historical slang.

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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.