forensic
fuh-REHN-zihk
Forensic (adj) means relating to the scientific methods used to investigate crimes or establish facts in a court of law. Example: “Forensic scientists examined the fingerprints found at the scene.”
adj
1
Relating to the scientific methods used to investigate crimes or establish facts in a court of law.
"Forensic scientists examined the fingerprints found at the scene."
"The documentary explores forensic techniques used to solve cold cases."
"The court heard evidence from a forensic expert about the samples."
"forensic analysis; forensic examination; forensic evidence; forensic investigation; forensic pathologist"
How to use forensic
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishRelating to using science to investigate crimes or legal cases.
Common pairings
forensic evidence
forensic scientist
forensic analysis
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_____ scientists examined the fingerprints found at the scene.
Etymology
From Latin forensis, "of the forum," since Roman legal matters were argued in public in the forum.
Synonyms
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Frequently asked questions
What does “forensic” mean?
The word “forensic” means relating to the scientific methods used to investigate crimes or establish facts in a court of law. In plain terms, relating to using science to investigate crimes or legal cases.
How do you pronounce “forensic”?
“Forensic” is pronounced fuh-REHN-zihk (/fəˈɹɛn.zɪk/ in IPA).
How do you use “forensic” in a sentence?
Here is “forensic” used in a sentence: “Forensic scientists examined the fingerprints found at the scene.”
What is another word for “forensic”?
Words with a similar meaning to “forensic” include Related and appropriate for a court of law.
What part of speech is “forensic”?
“Forensic” is an adjective.
Where does the word “forensic” come from?
The word “forensic” comes from Latin. From Latin forensis, "of the forum," since Roman legal matters were argued in public in the forum.
Is “forensic” a common word?
“Forensic” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.
What is the difference between forensic and criminal?
Forensic describes the scientific methods used to investigate crimes or establish facts for a court of law, such as forensic analysis of evidence. Criminal describes something related to crime itself, such as criminal activity or a criminal act, rather than the investigative methods used to examine it.
What does forensic mean outside of criminal investigations?
Forensic can apply to any scientific method used to establish facts for legal purposes, not only criminal cases, such as forensic accounting used in financial disputes or forensic linguistics used in authorship analysis. The common thread is applying scientific technique to answer questions relevant to a court of law.
What is forensic evidence?
Forensic evidence is evidence gathered and analyzed using scientific methods to help establish facts in a criminal investigation or court case. Examples include fingerprint analysis, DNA testing, and ballistics reports.
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