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Synonyms

peephole

American  
[peep-hohl] / ˈpipˌhoʊl /

noun

  • peepholes
    plural
  1. a small hole or opening through which to peep or look, as in a door.


peephole British  
/ ˈpiːpˌhəʊl /

noun

  1. a small aperture, such as one in the door of a flat for observing callers before opening

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms


Etymology

Origin of peephole

First recorded in 1675–85; peep 1 + hole


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

If you’re home alone or with family members and you hear a knock at the door, check the window, security camera or peephole so you can identify if ICE agents are outside.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 22, 2025

He then heard a second, "very aggressive knock" but did not see anyone when he looked through the peephole.

From BBC ● May 9, 2024

The door was not equipped with a peephole, so Rehn couldn’t see who was demanding she open up.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 13, 2023

"I was making breakfast when the doorbell rang. I looked through the peephole but didn't see anybody. I opened the door and there he was, lying on the mat," a visibly upset Lopez told reporters.

From Reuters ● Oct. 20, 2022

He lifted a gunnysack curtain, rubbed a peephole in the thick coating of dirt, and peered through.

From "The Egypt Game" by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

Visitors can interact with the exhibition by looking through peepholes to find photographs that tell a story.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 4, 2026

Leidos told Congress in December it would install peepholes on dorm room doors, limit access to master keys that could open multiple bedrooms, and give teams in the field an extra satellite phone.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 26, 2023

The system consisted of a sliding camera connected to a TV monitor, along with four peepholes to assess people of different heights, a remote control door lock and a two-way microphone.

From Washington Post ● Feb. 1, 2023

And while they didn't find any peepholes in the buildings they studied, they did find some hidden stairs.

From Salon ● Jul. 13, 2022

They crammed into the press box and hid themselves, keeping the lights out and spying through peepholes.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

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