voyeur

voyeur Definition

voy·eur (vo̵i ʉr′, vwä yʉr′)

noun

a person who has an exaggerated interest in viewing, esp. furtively and habitually, persons who are disrobing, engaged in sexual activity, etc.; peeping Tom
a person who obsessively watches others, esp. in seeking the unsavory details of their lives

Etymology: Fr < voir, to see < L videre: see vision

voyeur Related Forms

voy·eur′·ism′ (vo̵i ʉr′iz′əm, vo̵i′ər iz′əm) noun voy′·eur·is′·tic adjective

voyeur Usage Examples

Converse of object

become: The DV format actually helps to bring the story across because we become voyeurs on their private movies and fantasies.
play: Surely no one with any compassion would want to play voyeur with such disgusting deprivation.

Adjective modifier

other: He makes us voyeurs of other voyeurs; we spy on Han Gi spying on Sun-hwa as she sexually surrenders her body.

voyeur Quotes

Ich gehe insTheater ja auch nicht alsVoyeur. I do not go into the theatre as a voyeur.

—Frisch, Max Rudolph

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