spyglass

American  

[spahy-glas, -glahs] / ˈspaɪˌglæs, -ˌglɑs /

noun

1. a small telescope.

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spyglass British  

/ ˈspaɪˌɡlɑːs /

noun

1. a small telescope

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Etymology

Origin of spyglass

First recorded in 1700–10; spy + glass

Explanation

A lightweight telescope you can hold in your hand is a spyglass. You might picture a pirate or an explorer standing on the bow of a ship peering through a brass spyglass and then shouting, "Land ho!" Spyglasses were originally used by 17th-century ship captains and other seafaring folks. They were small and portable, often collapsible, and almost always made of brass. Though they were much less powerful than today's telescopes, they did magnify distant images to make far-away objects visible. Spyglasses are sometimes used today, though modern navigation makes them less important, and most people choose high powered binoculars instead.

Example Sentences

In one memorable 1803 cartoon, for example, British king George III literally holds the French leader in his palm, looking at him through a spyglass.

From National Geographic • Nov. 22, 2023

"It looked like a black canvas with a chain with a spyglass hanging on the end of it," Lennon remembered during an RKO Radio interview on the last afternoon of his life.

From Salon • Feb. 18, 2023

Among the props are the amber spyglass, from which one of Pullman's novels takes its name, and visual effects which made his otherworldly creatures move and talk.

From BBC • Nov. 30, 2022

About two hours later, according to Tarasevich, he heard a noise on the landing and through the spyglass in his door saw Nedashkivskiy, with some soldiers, going into the couple’s apartment.

From Reuters • Apr. 7, 2022

From the heights of Monticello, Jefferson watched the British troops through his spyglass, or hand telescope.

From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis