WordGarden.iodetection
C1Pronunciation
UK
- /dɪtˈɛkʃən/
US
- /dɪˈtɛkʃən/
Meanings
Noun
the act or process of noticing or discovering something hidden or not obvious
identification of the presence of something by a test, sensor, instrument, or computer system
the investigation or discovery of crimes, offenders, or wrongdoing
Beyond the definition
Detection is the act of noticing something – often something hidden or hard to find. Think of a detective in a mystery novel: their job is to notice clues other people miss. It can be spotting a problem, like detecting a leak in a pipe, or uncovering a secret, like detecting a spy within an organization. Sometimes it's simply recognizing something, like detecting the scent of smoke. The word suggests careful observation and often some skill or technology to help you notice what's there. You might detect a change in someone's mood, a flaw in a plan, or a lie in a story.
Detection is the process of discovering or identifying something – especially something that isn't immediately obvious. Very often, it means noticing the presence of something (or proving that it is there). It can involve your senses, careful attention, or tools and tests. Think of a wildlife biologist using camera traps for animal detection in a remote forest, or a doctor using tests for disease detection within the human body.
The context of "detection" is broad. In crime novels, we talk about detecting clues that lead to solving a mystery. In technology, detection refers to identifying signals – like motion detection in security systems, or fraud detection by banks. It can also be used figuratively: "She detected a hint of sadness in his voice," meaning she noticed it through careful listening.
The word often carries a sense of precision and sometimes even urgency. A smoke detector isn't just seeing smoke; it's actively monitoring for its presence to provide an early warning. Similarly, quality control teams use detection methods to identify defects in products before they reach consumers.
You'll also see it in phrases like "avoid detection," where it means avoiding being noticed or found: "The thief tried to avoid detection." So whether it's uncovering secrets, identifying threats, or simply noticing subtle changes, detection is the art and science of finding what isn't readily apparent – a crucial idea in many fields and parts of life.
Examples
- 1
Medical diagnosis
Early detection gives doctors a better chance of treating the disease successfully.
- 2
Alarm system
The alarm sends a message to your phone when it detects smoke.
- Phrasedetection system
a system that notices something automatically
- 3
Fraud software
The company is testing new software for the detection of online fraud.
- Patternthe detection of + problem
finding or noticing it
- 4
Avoiding notice
She wore dark clothes and moved quietly to avoid detection.
- Phraseavoid detection
avoid being noticed or found
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Plumbing problem
One of the first signs of trouble was the late detection of a small leak in the pipe.
- 6
Accounting errors
The investigation led to the detection of several accounting errors that had gone unnoticed for years.
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
- nondetection
- concealment
Used with (collocations)
- early detection
- detection system
- fraud detection
- detection of disease
Word family
Explore
- signal processing
- forensics
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- detectionnoun
Forms
- detectionspluralnoun