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Synonyms

sniffer

American  
[snif-er] / ˈsnɪf ər /

noun

  1. a person or thing that sniffs.

  2. a device or mechanism for detecting something.

sniffer British  
/ ˈsnɪfə /

noun

  1. a device for detecting hidden substances such as drugs or explosives, esp by their odour

  2. a computer program or device used to monitor, detect, and capture data on a network

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of sniffer

First recorded in 1860–65; sniff + -er 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In the two weeks since Guthrie's disappearance, the FBI and Pima County sheriff's officers have conducted a massive search operation involving helicopters, sniffer dogs, hundreds of officers, and thousands of tips called in.

From BBC • Feb. 15, 2026

Deputy police commissioner Sahibzada Yousaf told local media that sniffer dogs and advanced technology were used to ensure everyone was rescued from the rubble.

From BBC • Jan. 11, 2026

A month later, Delhi Police conducted two extensive searches using sniffer dogs across JNU's sprawling campus - but again, nothing was found.

From BBC • Jul. 23, 2025

PD Bert had served with Cleveland Police as a sniffer dog for three-and-a-half years, tasked with detecting drugs, cash and firearms.

From BBC • Jul. 18, 2025

Truant officers and their sniffer dogs'd be put on my trail.

From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.