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A.Word.A.Day--sherlock

sherlock (SHUR-lok) noun

A detective or a person who is good at solving mysteries.

[After Sherlock Holmes, a fictional detective in the works of Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930).]

Although Sherlock Holmes was a fictional character, his many fans, who often call themselves Baker Street Irregulars, sometimes pretend he was real. -Anu

"With the right software, any aspiring Sherlock can build up a large file on most Americans, including education, previous addresses, physical description, telephone bills, hobbies, and more." We Know You're Reading This, The Economist (London), Feb 10, 1996.

This week's theme: words derived from fictional characters.

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