line of sight
Americannoun
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Also called line of sighting. an imaginary straight line running through the aligned sights of a firearm, surveying equipment, etc.
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Astronomy. an imaginary line from an observer to a celestial body, coincident with the path traveled by light rays receivedfrom the body.
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Radio. a straight line connecting two points sufficiently high and near one another so that the line is entirely above the surface of the earth.
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Ophthalmology. line of vision.
noun
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the straight line along which an observer looks or a beam of radiation travels
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ophthalmol another term for line of vision
Etymology
Origin of line of sight
First recorded in 1550–60
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.
Meanwhile, thermal imaging equipment is carried by some teams and can be used to locate people "not directly in a rescuer's line of sight", says Selvakumaran.
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026
High-power microwave systems are generally less vulnerable to rain, fog or smoke than lasers, but still depend on line of sight, range, beam control and the surrounding electromagnetic environment.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 29, 2026
“We have line of sight to monetizing approximately 800 megawatts of power over time, and our pipeline of interest remains deep and active.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 7, 2026
Always in each other’s line of sight, always negotiating space that didn’t exist.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 3, 2026
I checked the woods, following Nicole’s line of sight.
From "Burning Blue" by Paul Griffin
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.
