v.tr. 1 a (often foll. by in) reveal the guilt of; discover (detected him in his crime). b discover (a crime). 2 discover or perceive the existence or presence of (detected a smell of burning; do I detect a note of sarcasm?). 3 Physics use an instrument to observe (a signal, radiation, etc.). detectable adj. detectably adv.
[ L detegere detect- (as DE-, tegere cover) ]