Sherlock

The word “Sherlock” means a detective, or (often sarcastic) a term for someone who has just pointed out something obvious. In plain terms, named after the famous fictional detective; used for detective-like deduction, or sarcastically toward someone stating the obvious, and in tech circles for a platform swallowing a third-party feature.

“Sherlock” is pronounced SHURR-lok (/ˈʃɜɹ.lɒk/ in IPA).

Here is “Sherlock” used in a sentence: “"He's late again," she said. "No kidding, Sherlock.".”

Depending on how it is used, “Sherlock” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “Sherlock” dates back to around 2002. From the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. The computing sense comes from Apple's "Sherlock" search tool, which in 2002 absorbed features from a smaller rival program, Watson.

“Sherlock” is an uncommon word in modern English.

“Sherlock” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a detective, or (often sarcastic) a term for someone who has just pointed out something obvious.

In computing, to Sherlock an app means a platform owner, such as Apple or Microsoft, builds a native feature into its operating system or software that duplicates a feature previously offered only by a third-party app. The term is often used when the third-party developer loses business because the built-in version makes their app redundant.

No. As a noun it can neutrally mean a detective or someone skilled at deduction, but it is very often used sarcastically, as in "No, Sherlock," aimed at someone who has just stated something obvious. Context and tone determine which sense applies.

The computing sense of "Sherlock" as a verb comes from the name Sherlock, referencing the way a built-in feature effectively investigates and absorbs the role of an existing third-party tool. It is used specifically when a native OS or app feature replaces functionality that outside developers had previously provided.