private detectivenoun [ C ]
uk/ˌpraɪ.vət dɪˈtek.tɪv/us/ˌpraɪ.vət dɪˈtek.tɪv/also private investigator, informal private eyea person whose job is discovering information about people. A private detective is not a government employee or a police officer:
She hired a private detective to find out if her husband was having an affair.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Detection & solving crimes
- all-points bulletin
- APB
- breath test
- breathalyse
- Breathalyser
- fingerprint
- frisk
- genetic fingerprinting
- identity parade
- informant
- lie detector
- manhunt
- mugshot
- neighbourhood watch
- RBT
- reconstruction
- reward
- rogues' gallery
- sleuth
- videofit
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