private detective
30
3.4
- noun
- /ˈpraɪvɪt dɪˈtɛktɪv/
:
detective privado
- The private detective uncovered vital evidence that led to the arrest of the criminal.
So this private detective followed him and saw us doing a job, so he reported it and so that was it.
- So this private detective followed him and saw us doing a job, so he reported it and so that was it.
- You start feeling like a private detective in your own life.
Examples
-
He hired a private detective to investigate the mysterious disappearance of his brother.
-
Nathan Stone, a whiskey-loving private detective, wakes up in a hospital with a concussion and memory loss.
Blog text (3) -
So this private detective followed him and saw us doing a job, so he reported it and so that was it.
-
You start feeling like a private detective in your own life.
-
The studio will always need its private detective.
-
Anyway, you remember that private detective that used to come in here all the time?
Fiction book (1992) -
We have used a firm of private detectives, with no success.
Fiction book (1993) -
"Yeah, she told me all about it, how it was for the private detective you hired after the police gave up."
Fiction book (1999) -
He hired a private detective to follow us around.
-
I inquired at the hotel for a reliable private detective.
Synonyms
∞
2.7
A police officer who investigates crimes and finds out what happened
64
3.7
A person hired to find facts about crimes or private matters who is not a police officer
24
4.2
A person hired to find out information for someone, often about crimes
14
5.6
A person who investigates crimes and follows clues
13
3.7
A person hired to find missing people or information
5
8.4
A detective who works quietly and follows people to find facts
4
8.8
A person hired to find facts or solve crimes for paying clients
2
9.9
A person paid to find information about crimes or people
A private detective hired to find information for people or businesses
A person who carefully follows clues to solve mysteries
How Formal
64
3.7
30
3.4
- Informal
24
4.2
- Archaic
4
8.8
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a detective not employed by the police' is directly and predictably built from 'private' (not public/for specific individuals) modifying 'detective' (a person who investigates crimes). This simple adjective+noun composition is cross-linguistically common and follows standard English patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both words should understand the MWE.
Etymology
The noun private detective comes from the idea of someone who is private, meaning they work for one person and not the police, and a detective, meaning someone who finds clues. They often work quietly, follow people, and find hidden facts, so today private detective means 'a person hired to investigate or find information, not a police officer'.