Scenthound

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A hunting dog trained to follow a trail by its odor ; an investigator who sniffs out hidden facts or secrets
2. A breed of dog with a keen sense of smell used for tracking game ; a snoop who relentlessly digs up private details about others
3. A dog bred to follow scents over long distances ; a person who relentlessly searches out concealed information about people

Etymology: "Scenthound" is simply a closed-up spelling of "scent hound," a dog bred or trained to track by smell rather than by sight. The two parts are plain English: "scent," which came into English from Old French "sentir," meaning to perceive by smell, and "hound," an old Germanic word for a dog used for hunting. Joined together, the compound describes exactly what the animal does, with no figurative leap involved. Both halves have long histories, but the compound itself is transparent. Writers may use either spelling, and the one-word form is the more common of the two in modern dictionaries and kennel-club usage.

Synonyms: sleuthhound, bloodhound