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detect


de·tect

verb \di-ˈtekt, dē-\

Definition of DETECT

transitive verb
1
: to discover the true character of
2
: to discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of <detect alcohol in the blood>
intransitive verb
: to work as a detective
de·tect·abil·i·ty \-ˌtek-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun
de·tect·able \-ˈtek-tə-bəl\ adjective

Examples of DETECT

  1. The test is used to detect the presence of alcohol in the blood.
  2. This type of cancer is difficult to detect in its early stages.

Origin of DETECT

Middle English, from Latin detectus, past participle of detegere to uncover, detect, from de- + tegere to cover — more at thatch
First Known Use: 1574

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