Meaning & use
forensic
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Meanings
adjectivebefore a nountechnical
Using scientific methods to examine evidence in a criminal or legal case.
Grammar: Almost always before a noun: forensic evidence.
Patterns
- forensic evidence
- forensic science
Forensic experts collected fibers from the scene.
The forensic report linked the tool to the burglary.
She trained as a forensic scientist after studying chemistry.
adjectivebefore a nounfigurative
Marked by very careful, detailed examination, as if looking for hidden proof.
Grammar: Often figurative: forensic attention to detail.
Patterns
- forensic detail
The auditor went through the accounts with forensic care.
The coach gave a forensic analysis of the match.
He studied the contract in forensic detail.
adjectivebefore a nounformal
Relating to courts of law or public legal argument.
Grammar: A formal, older use found in phrases such as forensic medicine.
Patterns
- forensic medicine
Forensic medicine links doctors with the courts.
The lawyer's forensic skill won over the jury.
A forensic pathologist testified at the trial.
Common combinations
- forensic evidence
- The forensic evidence pointed to a different suspect.
- forensic scientist
- A forensic scientist tested the sample.
- forensic accountant
- A forensic accountant traced the missing money.
- forensic analysis
- Forensic analysis confirmed the signature was forged.
- forensic team
- A forensic team sealed off the room.
Synonyms and how they differ
- scientific
- Scientific is broad, while forensic ties the science specifically to legal investigation.
- investigative
- Investigative describes any inquiry, not necessarily scientific or legal.
- judicial
- Judicial relates to courts and judges, not to evidence-gathering.
- meticulous
- Meticulous means extremely careful but has no legal or scientific link.
Word family
- forensics noun
- scientific methods for investigating crimes
- forensically adverb
- by forensic methods
- forum noun
- the Roman public space from which the word derives
- forensic science noun
- science applied to legal questions
Commonly confused: forensic or foreign?
forensic vs foreign
Foreign means from another country, and the two words only look somewhat alike.
Practice
Investigators found a fingerprint that served as key ____ evidence in the trial.
Choose one answer.
Forensic evidence is evidence gathered by scientific methods for a legal case. The other adjectives do not collocate with evidence in this way.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “forensic”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.