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voy·eur

(voi-yûr)

1. Psychology A person who derives sexual gratification from covert observation of an unsuspecting person who is naked, undressing, or engaging in sexual activity.

2. An enthusiastic observer of sordid or sensational subjects.

[French, from Old French, one who lies in wait, from voir, to see, from Latin vidēre, to see; see weid- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

voy·eurism n.

voy′eur·istic adj.

voy′eur·isti·cal·ly adv.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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