Etymology

detect

D2E1T1E1C3T1

Today it means: To discover or notice, especially by careful search, examination, or probing. Full definition →

Latin detectus
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The story

  1. Latin · derived fromdetectus
  2. English todaydetect

From Latin detectus, perfect passive participle of detegere (“to uncover or disclose”), from de- + tegere (“to cover”); see tegument, tile, thatch. Sense "to work or solve cases as a detective" a back-formation from detective.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.