Police officers or private investigators who investigate crimes by examining evidence and interviewing witnesses.
From French 'détectif,' from Latin 'detectus' (uncovered, discovered), from 'detegere' meaning to uncover. The word became popular in English in the 1800s with the rise of professional police forces.
The detective as we know it is a surprisingly recent invention—professional detective work only emerged in the 1800s, which is why detective stories and Sherlock Holmes became so wildly popular; they were describing a brand-new kind of hero that didn't exist before.
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