Etymology

whodunit

W4H4O1D2U1N1I1T1

Today it means: A novel or drama concerning a crime (usually a murder) in which a detective follows clues to determine the perpetrator. Full definition →

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The story

Coined by critic Donald Gordon in 1930. An alteration and univerbation of who done it? with ellipsis of has.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.