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pinhole

American  
[pin-hohl] / ˈpɪnˌhoʊl /

noun

  1. a small hole made by or as by a pin.

  2. a hole for a pin to go through; tiny aperture.


pinhole British  
/ ˈpɪnˌhəʊl /

noun

  1. a small hole made with or as if with a pin

  2. archery the exact centre of an archery target, in the middle of the gold zone

"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

Etymology

Origin of pinhole

First recorded in 1670–80; pin + 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:

People across Kent, Surrey and Sussex brought out solar glasses, improvised pinhole cameras and kitchen colanders to watch the celestial event.

From BBC Aug. 13, 2026

People could also watch safely by projecting an image of the sun onto a white card using a telescope, a cereal box pinhole viewer, or even a kitchen colander.

From BBC Aug. 12, 2026

Alternative methods for viewing the eclipse include using a solar telescope or making a pinhole projector.

From BBC Aug. 11, 2026

"I've read the safety information and it should be cheap and easy enough to make a pinhole projector."

From BBC Aug. 11, 2026

A pinhole in a glove might not be visible to the eye.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston

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