Phrase guide

I spy

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A game where players have to guess what one can see, based on the initial letter of the object.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Topics: games

Examples

  • - Let's play I spy! I spy with my little eye something beginning with W. - Is it a watering-can?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: guessing game

2

noun

Meaning 2

A children's game of hide and seek, so called from the cry when one is found.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, uncountable

Topics: games

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From the phrase I spy with my little eye used in the game.

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: I spy -leikki — guessing game
  • German: ich sehe was, was du nicht siehst — guessing game
  • Polish: gra w zgadywanie tego, co się widzi — guessing game
  • Spanish: veo veo — guessing game
  • Swedish: but see ett skepp kommer lastat — guessing game