PRIVATE DETECTIVE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does private detective mean? 

• PRIVATE DETECTIVE (noun)
  The noun PRIVATE DETECTIVE has 1 sense:

1. someone who can be employed as a detective to collect information

  Familiarity information: PRIVATE DETECTIVE used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PRIVATE DETECTIVE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Someone who can be employed as a detective to collect information

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

operative; PI; private detective; private eye; private investigator; shamus; sherlock

Hypernyms ("private detective" is a kind of...):

detective (an investigator engaged or employed in obtaining information not easily available to the public)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "private detective"):

hotel detective; house detective; house dick (a private detective employed by a hotel or retail store)

inquiry agent (a private detective)

store detective (a private detective employed by a merchant to stop pilferage)

 Context examples 

I am a private detective, and I am endeavouring to explain his disappearance.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

With this object I engaged an agent from a private detective firm, who entered my husband’s house as a secretary—it was your second secretary, Sergius, the one who left you so hurriedly.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)