What does voyeur mean?
A voyeur is someone who watches other people in private, most often for sexual gratification or from a prurient interest in their intimate behavior. In its central modern sense, the word refers to a person who secretly observes sexual activity, nudity, or undressing rather than participating in it. It can also be used more broadly for anyone who clandestinely watches private behavior, though this extension often carries a similar suggestion of impropriety. “Voyeur” is generally negative because it emphasizes invasive curiosity and the imbalance between observer and observed. The related word “voyeurism” names the practice or tendency, while “voyeuristic” describes behavior, images, or narratives characterized by such watching. Although the word is best known in sexual contexts, it remains useful because it identifies a particular kind of observation marked by secrecy and an uncomfortable power relationship between the person watching and the person being watched.
nounA person who derives sexual gratification from secretly observing other people engaged in sexual activity, undressing, or similar intimate behavior. The term may also refer more broadly to someone who watches people in private, especially from a prurient or improperly curious standpoint.
- A person who obtains sexual gratification by secretly watching people engaged in sexual activity, nudity, or undressing.
- A person who secretly observes other people in private or intimate circumstances, especially from a prurient interest.
"He slipped into the garden at night, making him a voyeur rather than an invited guest."
"The voyeur had installed hidden cameras in the changing rooms."
"The neighbors watched the couple through an uncovered window, making themselves voyeurs."
The regular plural is used for multiple people who watch others privately or seek sexual gratification by doing so.
"The novel portrays the voyeurs who observe their neighbors through concealed cameras."
Voyeur is French for “watcher,” though modern English usually gives the word a distinctly sexual and disapproving edge.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does voyeur come from?
The English word was borrowed from French voyeur, meaning “watcher” or “one who looks,” which derives from voir, “to see,” from Latin videre, “to see.” French voyeur developed a specifically sexual sense, and this became the dominant sense in modern English use. English subsequently developed related forms such as voyeurism and voyeuristic alongside the borrowed noun.
Related word forms
How voyeur is actually used
The word is generally derogatory or disapproving. It is sometimes used more broadly for someone who clandestinely observes private behavior, although this extension usually retains an implication of improper curiosity.