- plural of spectacle.
spectacles
Britishplural noun
-
Often (informal) shortened to: specs. a pair of glasses for correcting defective vision
-
cricket a score of 0 in each innings of a match
Explanation
Spectacles are eyeglasses. People wear spectacles because their vision is flawed. Spectacles is an old-fashioned word, but it means something you probably see — and maybe even use — every day: eyeglasses. People who have defective vision need spectacles to see properly. Spectacles have two main parts: the lenses and the frames that hold the lenses. An ophthalmologist (eye doctor) can test your eyes and see if you need spectacles. You can also call spectacles glasses or specs.
Vocabulary lists containing spectacles
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Harrison Bergeron"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Mr. Popper’s Penguins
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
She stressed people should not use the eclipse glasses with other optical equipment such as binoculars, but could put them over spectacles.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
Some people are using the glasses — which look like a pair of regular spectacles — to record people without their knowledge and publish the videos on social media.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026
Weddings are spectacles, and a couple’s budget can say a lot about what matters to them.
From Slate ● Jul. 10, 2026
Their position near eye level gives these scenes an unusual immediacy, drawing us inescapably into these harrowing spectacles.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026
Aunt Spiker, on the other hand, was lean and tall and bony, and she wore steel-rimmed spectacles that fixed onto the end of her nose with a clip.
From "James and the Giant Peach" by Roald Dahl
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
