Peek

Peek

Verb & Noun · /piːk/ · to look quickly or secretly

Definition

To look at something quickly, furtively, or through a narrow opening — often when you are not supposed to see. As a noun, a peek is a brief or secret look. The word always carries a sense of stealth, curiosity, or playfulness.

Origin

From Middle English piken, possibly related to Dutch pieken (to peek, to peep). First recorded in the 14th century. The word has always been associated with looking through a small gap — a keyhole, a curtain, a half-open door. It shares its sound and meaning space with peep, though peek tends to be slightly less secretive and more playful in modern use.