peekaboo

American  

[peek-uh-boo] / ˈpik əˌbu /

noun

1. Also called bo-peep.  a game played by or with very young children, typically in which one covers the face or hides and then suddenly uncovers the face or reappears, calling “Peekaboo!”

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adjective

1. Clothing.

   1. decorated with openwork.

   2. made of a sheer and revealing material, as some blouses for women.

2. appearing briefly and then vanishing, or promising to appear but failing to do so.

   the fluctuating response of the stock market to a peekaboo economic recovery.

peekaboo British  

/ ˈpiːkəˌbuː /

noun

1. a game for young children, in which one person hides his face and suddenly reveals it and cries "peekaboo."

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adjective

1. (of a garment) made of fabric that is almost transparent or patterned with small holes

Etymology

Origin of peekaboo

1590–1600; peek + -a- connective + boo ¹

Explanation

Peekaboo is a simple game you play with babies and toddlers by hiding your face, then quickly uncovering it. Peekaboo is a good way to make a baby laugh. When you play peekaboo, you cover your face or hide behind a barrier for a few moments, then reveal yourself again to the baby and say, "Peekaboo!" A variation on peekaboo is a hiding and revealing game in which you say, "Where's the baby?" and then "There's the baby!" Peekaboo is fun because babies are generally interested and amused by it, and it's good for the development of their cognitive — or thinking — skills.

Example Sentences

The crowd appeared delighted to see that many of the viral dances from that performance had made it to the tour, with the choreography during the track Peekaboo providing maximum entertainment.

From BBC • Jul. 22, 2025

In results published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, scientists report that Peekaboo appears to have a significant lack of old stars.

From Scientific American • Mar. 24, 2023

Peekaboo Jenkins, a cellist friend, supplied the avant-garde soundtrack.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 20, 2020

Sure we will book a table at The Peekaboo for next year.

From New York Times • Nov. 3, 2016

That is how it happened on a creeping train, How a play began without a word,— Peekaboo reflections in a window-pane, Such a story-hour was never heard.

From Ballads of Peace in War by Earls, Michael