Phrase guide

one-way mirror

noun · 1 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 mirror reflecting images on one side and transparent on the other, often used by the police during interrogations.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • "The trainee interviews a client in a one-way mirror room or in front of a video camera while being observed by the supervisor, who guides the therapy by telephoning suggestions or bringing the trainee out for discussion." — Learning and Teaching Therapy by Jay Haley

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From one-way + mirror.

Across languages

Translations

10 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: puoliläpäisevä peili — mirror that is transparent on one side
  • French: miroir sans tain — mirror that is transparent on one side
  • French: glace sans tain — mirror that is transparent on one side
  • Indonesian: kaca satu arah — mirror that is transparent on one side
  • Irish: scáthán aonbhealaigh — mirror that is transparent on one side
  • Macedonian: еднонасочно огледало (ednonasočno ogledalo) — mirror that is transparent on one side
  • Polish: lustro weneckie — mirror that is transparent on one side
  • Polish: lustro półprzepuszczalne — mirror that is transparent on one side
  • Russian: одностороннее зе́ркало (odnostoronneje zérkalo) — mirror that is transparent on one side
  • Spanish: espejo simulado — mirror that is transparent on one side