investigator (n.)

1550s, a native agent-noun formation from investigate, or else from Latin investigator "he that searches into," agent noun from past participle stem of investigare "to trace out, search after" (see investigation). Related: Investigatorial.

also from 1550s

Entries linking to investigator

investigate (v.)

c. 1500, back-formation from investigation or else from Latin investigatus, past participle of investigare "to trace out, search after," figuratively "search into, investigate," from in- "in, into" (from PIE root *en "in") + vestigare "to track, trace," from vestigium "footprint, track" (see vestige). Related: Investigated; investigating.

investigation (n.)

early 15c., from Old French investigacion (14c.), from Latin investigationem (nominative investigatio) "a searching into, a searching for," noun of action from past participle stem of investigare "to trace out, search after," figuratively "search into, investigate," from in- "in, into" (from PIE root *en "in") + vestigare "to track, trace," from vestigium "a footprint, a track" (see vestige).

Trends of investigator

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/. Ngrams are probably unreliable.

More to Explore

detective

"one whose occupation is to investigate matters as to which information is desired, especially concerning wrong-doers, and to obtain evidence against them," 1828, short for detective police, from detective (adj.) "fitted for or skilled in detecting" (by 1828); see detect + -ive.

inquisitor

" from Anglo-French inquisitour, Old French inquisiteur, or directly from Latin inquisitor "searcher, examiner; a legal investigator...

sleuth

The meaning "detective" is attested by 1872, a shortening of sleuth-hound "keen investigator" (1849), a figurative use of...

spy

Old English had spyrian "make a track, go, pursue; ask about, investigate," also a noun spyrigend "investigator, inquirer...

officer

early 14c., "one who holds an official post, one entrusted with a responsibility or share of the management of some undertaking" (originally a high office), from Old French oficier "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French officier), from Medieval Latin officiarius "an offic

inspector

c. 1600, "overseer, superintendent," from Latin inspector "one who views or observes," agent noun from past participle stem of inspicere "look at, observe, view; look into, inspect, examine," from in- "into" (from PIE root *en "in") + specere "to look" (from PIE root *spek- "to o

coroner

title of a county or municipal officer with certain duties, mid-14c. (mid-13c. as a surname), corouner, from Anglo-French curuner, from Anglo-Latin custos placitorum coronae (late 12c.), originally the title of the officer with the duty of protecting the private property of the r

crater

1610s, "bowl-shaped mouth of a volcano," from a specialized use of Latin crater, from Greek krater "large bowl from which red wine mixed with water was served to guests," from kera- "to mix," from PIE root *kere- "to mix, confuse; cook" (see rare (adj.2)). The extension to volcan

scientist

"person versed in or devoted to science," 1834, a hybrid coined from Latin scientia (see science) by the Rev. William Whewell, English polymath, by analogy with artist, in the same paragraph in which he coined physicist (q.v.). There is an isolated use of sciencist from 1778, and

expert

late 14c., "having had experience; skillful," from Old French expert, espert "experienced, practiced, skilled" and directly from Latin expertus (contracted from *experitus), "tried, proved, known by experience," past participle of experiri "to try, test," from ex "out of" (see ex

Share investigator

‘cite’

Page URL:

https://www.etymonline.com/word/investigator

HTML Link:

<a href="https://www.etymonline.com/word/investigator">Etymology of investigator by etymonline</a>

APA style:

Harper, D. (n.d.). Etymology of investigator. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved $(datetime), from https://www.etymonline.com/word/investigator

Chicago style:

Harper Douglas, “Etymology of investigator,” Online Etymology Dictionary, accessed $(datetime), https://www.etymonline.com/word/investigator.

MLA style:

Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of investigator.” Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/investigator. Accessed $(datetimeMla).

IEEE style:

D. Harper. “Etymology of investigator.” Online Etymology Dictionary. https://www.etymonline.com/word/investigator (accessed $(datetime)).

updated on September 28, 2017

Remove ads >

Trending words

1. intro
2. war
3. humble
4. bar
5. theory
6. tarmac
7. hospital
8. romance
9. soul
10. music

Dictionary entries near investigator

invest

investigable

investigate

investigation

investigative

investigator

investiture

investment

investor

inveteracy

inveterate