detection

noun

Simple meaning

Detecting, uncovering, or finding out, the discovery of something new, hidden.

Pronunciation

Say it like this:

dihtehkshuhn

Say the bold part a little louder.

US device voice

IPA pronunciation (US)

dɪˈtɛkʃən

This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.

IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.

Word Review

Definition

Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.

noun

The act of detecting something; catching sight of something
The act or process of detecting, uncovering, or finding out, the discovery of something new, hidden, or disguised.
electrical engineering
The act or process of finding or detecting an electrical signal in a carrier wave.

Word at a Glance

Difficulty: A2 · Elementary (estimated)
Frequency: Common
Typical Use: Varies by meaning

Word Aura™

How this word commonly comes across.

Aura for this meaning

This meaning: The act of detecting something; catching sight of something

Used this way, detection is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.

Emotional tone: Neutral
Formality: Neutral
Intensity: Not strongly marked
How common: Moderately common
Connotation: Matter-of-fact
Usage feel: Neutral and straightforward

Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.

More ways to use detection

“Early detection can often lead to a cure.”noun

Common Patterns and Combinations

How this word naturally appears with others.

detection limitsignal detectionedge detectioncollision detectionearly detectionerror detectiondetection systemescape detection

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Similar Words, What’s the Difference?

Close in meaning, but not always interchangeable.

spotting
The act of spotting or sighting something.
catching
The action of the verb catch.

Word Family

Related forms, grouped by how they connect.

Compound terms

Established multiword terms.

explosive detection systemnounCompound term
A rapid automatic system to detect plastic explosives in passengers' luggage using X-ray technology and computers.
explosive trace detectionnounCompound term
A system for screening luggage in airports.
radio detection and rangingnounCompound term
Measuring instrument in which the echo of a pulse of microwave radiation is used to detect and locate distant objects.
ship-towed long-range acoustic detection systemnounCompound term
A shipboard system consisting of an acoustic detection system that is towed behind the ship.
signal detectionnounCompound term
The detection that a signal is being received.

More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin

Synonyms

Sense: detecting something

spotting

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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.