What does eyehole mean?
An eyehole is a small opening designed for looking through, most commonly found in doors, masks, and costumes. In domestic settings it refers to the aperture that lets a resident observe a visitor before opening the door, a function now more formally called a peephole or door viewer. In theatrical and festive contexts, eyeholes are the cut-out openings in masks that allow the wearer to see. The word is a straightforward compound of 'eye' and 'hole', and its meaning is transparent even to first-time readers. It carries no strong connotation, being neutral and practical in tone, though it can acquire a furtive flavor in phrases about spying through an eyehole. Writers typically choose 'peephole' when emphasizing surveillance and 'eyehole' when describing physical construction, such as stitching around the eyeholes of a fabric mask. Its simplicity and clarity make it a reliable, unambiguous term across British and American English.
nounA small hole made or left for looking through, such as one in a door, a mask, or a piece of fabric.
- A small opening in a door, wall, or barrier for observing someone or something on the other side.
- An opening in a mask or costume through which a wearer can see.
"She peered through the eyehole before unlocking the front door."
"He checked the eyehole and saw a delivery driver holding an oversized parcel."
"The actor's painted mask had narrow eyeholes that limited his view of the stage."
The plural is regular; masks and multi-aperture doors commonly take the plural form.
"The fencing mask's steel mesh left no true eyeholes, only a fine grid."
Long before video doorbells, the humble eyehole was the original caller-verification device.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of eyehole
Eyehole is formed by transparent English compounding of 'eye', from Old English ēage, and 'hole', from Old English hol, both Germanic roots. Such compound nouns were coined naturally as needed, and the word has been part of ordinary English vocabulary for several centuries without borrowing from another language. It shares its first element with numerous other native compounds such as eyeball, eyelid, and eyesore.
How eyehole is actually used
The word is neutral to slightly informal in register; 'peephole' is often preferred in technical contexts such as door viewers, while 'eyehole' remains common for masks and everyday speech.
Easily confused with eyehole
A keyhole is the specific opening in a lock that receives a key, whereas an eyehole is any small opening intended for looking through.