a device or piece of equipment used to find or identify the presence of something, especially something dangerous or hidden such as smoke, radiation, or metal.
A smoke detector beeped loudly, warning the family of danger.
The beachgoer used a metal detector to search for lost jewelry.
✦ Late 17th century: from Latin dētector, from dētect- ‘uncovered, revealed’, from the verb dētegere, from dē- ‘away from’ + tegere ‘cover’.
