noun
- a person who inspects.
- an officer appointed to inspect.
- a police officer usually ranking next below a superintendent.
noun
- a person who inspects, esp an official who examines for compliance with regulations, standards, etc
- a police officer ranking below a superintendent or chief inspector and above a sergeant
c.1600, “overseer, superintendent,” from Latin inspector, agent noun from past participle stem of inspicere (see inspection). As a police ranking between sergeant and superintendent, it dates from 1840. Related: Inspectorial. Of the 18c. feminine formations, inspectrix (1715) is earlier than inspectress (1785).