Investigator
/ɪnˈvɛstɪˌɡeɪtər/
Definitions
A person whose job is to examine the facts about a situation, crime, etc., to find out the truth.
/ɪnˈvɛstɪˌɡeɪtər/
A person who investigates crimes or other matters.
The investigator meticulously examined the evidence.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're a detective in a mystery story! An investigator is like you – someone who looks for clues and figures out what happened. Like, if someone's missing cookies, the investigator finds out who ate them!
👶 For kids: A person who tries to find out what happened, like a detective.
More Examples
A team of investigators was assigned to the case.
She works as a private investigator, specializing in corporate fraud.
How It's Used
"The lead investigator questioned the witnesses at the crime scene."
"A private investigator was hired to uncover the truth behind the company's financial irregularities."
"The investigative journalist worked tirelessly to expose the corruption scandal."
From Latin *investigatus*, past participle of *investigare* 'to track, trace out', from *in-* 'in, into' + *vestigare* 'to track, trace' (from *vestigium* 'track, footprint').
The term has been used in legal and investigative contexts since the 17th century, initially referring to anyone who sought out information, regardless of the formal process.
Memory tip
Think of an 'inspector' who investigates. The root 'vest' points to tracing and examining.