CultureJuly 17, 2026
whodunit
/ˌhuːˈdʌn.ɪt/
Definition
A genre of mystery story or film, typically involving a murder, in which the focus is on uncovering the identity of the perpetrator.
Etymology
The word is a phonetic rendering of the phrase 'who done it,' reflecting its informal, colloquial origins in 20th-century American English. It evolved from a descriptive tag for mystery plots into a noun representing the genre itself.
In the news
The speakers use this term to describe the Netflix series 'The Perfect Couple,' noting that the plot centers on a murder investigation where everyone is a suspect. It highlights the show's engagement factor through its puzzle-like mystery format.
Culture vulture April Wallace picks her favorite Nicole Kidman films
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