Etymology Map
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Sleuth

3 stages from Old Norse to English.

Today it means a detective

Where does the word "sleuth" come from? It comes from Old Norse slóð, passing through Scots before entering English (1870s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
slóð
Old Norse · medieval
"trail, track"
a track or trail left behind by a person or animal
2
Stage 2 of 3
sleuth-hound
Scots · 1300s
"tracking dog"
a bloodhound bred to follow a scent trail, used in the Scottish borders to track raiders
3
Stage 3 of 3
sleuth
English · 1870s
"detective"
American slang shortened it and applied it to a detective who tracks down criminals
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Read the full story

Sleuth’s story begins in Old Norse: slóð meant “trail, track.” A track or trail left behind by a person or animal. By 1300s, the word had taken hold in Scots as sleuth-hound. A bloodhound bred to follow a scent trail, used in the Scottish borders to track raiders. It reached English by 1870s as sleuth. American slang shortened it and applied it to a detective who tracks down criminals. Today, sleuth means a detective.