A detective or investigator who tries to solve a mystery or crime.
From Old Norse 'slóðr' meaning 'track' or 'trail.' The word came to English through Scandinavian languages and originally meant someone who followed a track or trail. By the 19th century, it meant a detective who follows clues like following a trail.
The word 'sleuth' comes from the Scandinavian word for 'trail,' which is perfect because detectives literally follow trails of clues! This Old Norse heritage makes it one of those cool English words that preserves an ancient meaning—a sleuth is still someone who tracks things down.
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