Phrase guide

private investigator

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An agent detective hired by a private party for the purpose of investigation or evidence gathering.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

someone who can be employed as a detective to collect information

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: private detective, PI, private eye, operative, shamus, sherlock

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: detective

Narrower terms: hotel detective, house detective, house dick, inquiry agent, store detective

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 私人偵探 /私人侦探 (sīrén zhēntàn) — agent hired by a private party
  • Finnish: yksityisetsivä — agent hired by a private party
  • French: détective privé — agent hired by a private party
  • Italian: investigatore privato — agent hired by a private party
  • Polish: prywatny detektyw — agent hired by a private party
  • Portuguese: detetive particular — agent hired by a private party
  • Swedish: privatdetektiv — agent hired by a private party