What does peephole mean?
A peephole is a small opening or viewing device through which someone can look from inside a building, usually a door, before opening it. The word is especially common in domestic and security contexts, where it allows a resident to inspect a visitor while remaining protected behind a closed door. It can also refer more generally to a tiny aperture in a wall, fence, or other barrier, although this use is less frequent. In figurative writing, peephole may suggest a narrow or limited perspective: someone who sees only a small part of a situation through a peephole has restricted access to broader information. The word combines “peep,” meaning a quick or furtive look, with “hole,” emphasizing both the act of looking and the opening through which it is made.
nounA small opening, typically in a door or wall, through which a person can look without opening the door. It may also refer to the small viewing lens fitted to such an opening.
- A small opening in a door, wall, or other barrier through which to look.
- A small optical device or lens attached to such an opening to provide a restricted view outside.
"She looked through the peephole before opening the door."
"The delivery driver rang the bell and waited at the peephole."
"Through the peephole, he could see the person standing on the step."
The regular plural is used when referring to multiple openings or devices.
"The apartment doors have wide peepholes that make it easy to see the hallway."
A peephole turns a simple door into a tiny security checkpoint, letting someone identify a visitor without opening it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of peephole
Peephole is a compound formed from the English verb “peep,” meaning to look cautiously or furtively, and the noun “hole.” The compound has been in use since the early modern period, when it referred to a small opening used for observation. Its development reflects the older sense of “peep” as a quick or secret glance, a meaning related to the modern verb “peek.”
Related word forms
How peephole is actually used
Generally neutral and practical. The term is most commonly associated with a door, especially in an apartment or private residence, and can convey either a practical security device or, figuratively, a restricted way of observing the outside world.
Easily confused with peephole
A peek is the act of looking briefly or furtively, whereas a peephole is the opening or device through which someone looks.