Here's how it works:
* Verb: Detest (to dislike intensely)
* Past Tense: Detested
* Past Participle: Detested
While past participles can be used in verb phrases (e.g., "I have detested spinach since childhood"), they can also act as adjectives:
* Adjective: "The detested tyrant was overthrown."
So, the part of speech of "detested" depends on its function in the sentence.