English

Alternative forms

• whodunnit

Noun

whodunit ‎(plural whodunits)

1. A novel or drama concerning a crime (usually a murder) in which a detective follows clues to determine the perpetrator.
   • 1946, Josephina Niggli. Pointers on radio writing (Boston: The Writer, Inc.) page 25

     Actually, an whodunit is a mystery story. The hero is generally a detective, although sometimes he is a gentleman (apparently a mild mannered worm) who sallies forth at night to become Public Enemy No. One of Crime. Otherwise the formula is exactly the same as that of the Cliff-hanger and follows the same rules.

Synonyms

(A fictional story of a crime which a detective solves): detective novel, detective story, mystery story

Hypernyms

(A fictional story of a crime which a detective solves): thriller

Related terms

• howdunit
• wheredunit
• whydunit

Translations

References

• Oxford Dictionaries

Anagrams

• howdunit