inspector

American  

[in-spek-ter] / ɪnˈspɛk tər /

noun

1. a person who inspects.

2. an officer appointed to inspect.

3. a police officer usually ranking next below a superintendent.

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inspector British  

/ ɪnˈspɛktə, ˌɪnspɛkˈtɔːrɪəl /

noun

1. a person who inspects, esp an official who examines for compliance with regulations, standards, etc

2. a police officer ranking below a superintendent or chief inspector and above a sergeant

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Other Word Forms

• inspectoral adjective
• inspectorial adjective
• inspectorship noun
• preinspector noun
• subinspector noun
• subinspectorship noun

Etymology

Origin of inspector

1595–1605; < Latin, equivalent to inspec-, variant stem of inspicere ( inspect ) + -tor -tor

Example Sentences

NASA’s inspector general repeatedly has faulted supplier performance and how officials conducted oversight.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Get an inspector in there. It’s probably fine, but —” I stop myself, because there I go again.

From Literature

Officials with the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general, the agency’s internal watchdog, recently seized records and a computer from the office of Kara Voorhies, according to people familiar with the matter.

From The Wall Street Journal

"The building is structurally unsound. We're working with the local authority building inspectors and we're going to have to bring it down to safe levels," he said.

From BBC

Airlines have concentrated in a few dozen commercial airports for efficiency’s sake, said Mary Schiavo, an aviation attorney who previously served as the inspector general for the Transportation Department.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• auditor
• controller
• detective
• investigator
• monitor
• police officer