private investigator

noun

: a person not a member of a police force who is licensed to do detective work (such as investigation of suspected wrongdoing or searching for missing persons)

Examples of private investigator in a Sentence

She hired a private investigator to follow her husband. the retired policeman decided to become a private investigator
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
She's hired various private investigators to find out her true identity, but only the low-rent Mitch Henessey (Samuel L. Jackson) is still on the case. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 24 Dec. 2024 Atchison's defense attorney Ben Powers had asked Chappell to disqualify the DA's office from prosecuting the case because Powers and a private investigator were pictured in the audit. Craig Shoup, The Tennessean, 22 Dec. 2024 Two attorneys for Danny Masterson and a private investigator could face disciplinary investigations for their conduct toward jurors after the disgraced actor’s rape conviction, a judge ruled Tuesday. James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 10 Dec. 2024 Set in a world where humans and puppets coexist, the story follows Phil Philips (voiced by Bill Barretta), a disgraced puppet private investigator who is drawn into a murder case when cast members of The Happytime Gang, a popular puppet TV show, are systematically killed. Travis Bean, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for private investigator 

Word History

First Known Use

1940, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of private investigator was in 1940

Dictionary Entries Near private investigator

Cite this Entry

“Private investigator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/private%20investigator. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

private investigator

noun
: a person who does detective work and is not a member of a police force

Legal Definition

private investigator

noun
: a person not a member of a police force who is licensed to do detective work (as investigation of suspected wrongdoing or searching for missing persons)
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!