noun · 3 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.
/ˈvɔɪəˌrɪz(ə)m/most common
/vɔɪˈɜːrɪz(ə)m/
/vwɑˈjɜːrɪz(ə)m/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:V OY2 Y UW1 R IH0 Z AH0 M
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The derivation of sexual satisfaction by watching unsuspecting people secretly, especially when those being watched are undressed or undressing, toileting, or engaging in sexual activity.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: inspectionism
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The derivation of satisfaction by obsessively watching or following sensational or sordid subjects.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: broadly, figuratively, uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
a perversion in which a person receives sexual gratification from seeing the genitalia of others or witnessing others' sexual behavior
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: paraphilia
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *weyd- Proto-Indo-European *-éh1ti Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éh1yeti Proto-Indo-European *widéh1yeti Proto-Italic *widēō Latin videō Old French veoir Middle French veoir French voir French -eur French voyeurbor. English voyeur Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Indo-European *-mos Proto-Indo-European *-mós Ancient Greek -μός (-mós) Ancient Greek -ισμός (-ismós)der. English -ism English voyeurism From voyeur + -ism.
Across languages
Translations
25 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Catalan:
voyeurisme
— derivation of sexual satisfaction by watching people secretly
Chinese Mandarin:
窺淫狂症 /窥淫狂症
(kuīyínkuángzhèng)
— derivation of sexual satisfaction by watching people secretly
Chinese Mandarin:
窥淫癖
(kuīyínpǐ)
— derivation of sexual satisfaction by watching people secretly
Chinese Mandarin:
窺視症 /窥视症
(kuīshìzhèng)
— derivation of sexual satisfaction by watching people secretly
Chinese Mandarin:
窺淫 /窥淫
(kuīyín)
— derivation of sexual satisfaction by watching people secretly
Dutch:
voyeurisme
— derivation of sexual satisfaction by watching people secretly
Esperanto:
rigardismo
— derivation of sexual satisfaction by watching people secretly
Finnish:
tirkistely
— derivation of sexual satisfaction by watching people secretly
French:
voyeurisme
— derivation of sexual satisfaction by watching people secretly
German:
Voyeurismus
— derivation of sexual satisfaction by watching people secretly
Greek:
ηδονοβλεψία
(idonovlepsía)
— derivation of sexual satisfaction by watching people secretly
Hindi:
दर्शनरति
(darśanrati)
— derivation of sexual satisfaction by watching people secretly
Hindi:
दृश्यरति
(dŕśyarati)
— derivation of sexual satisfaction by watching people secretly
Icelandic:
sjónfróun
— derivation of sexual satisfaction by watching people secretly
Italian:
voyeurismo
— derivation of sexual satisfaction by watching people secretly
Japanese:
窃視症
(sesshishō)
— derivation of sexual satisfaction by watching people secretly
Polish:
wojeryzm
— derivation of sexual satisfaction by watching people secretly
Polish:
oglądactwo
— derivation of sexual satisfaction by watching people secretly
Portuguese:
voyeurismo
— derivation of sexual satisfaction by watching people secretly
Russian:
вуайери́зм
(vuajjerízm)
— derivation of sexual satisfaction by watching people secretly
Russian:
скопофи́ли́я
(skopofílíja)
— derivation of sexual satisfaction by watching people secretly
Spanish:
voyerismo
— derivation of sexual satisfaction by watching people secretly
Swedish:
voyeurism
— derivation of sexual satisfaction by watching people secretly
Turkish:
röntgencilik
— derivation of sexual satisfaction by watching people secretly
Vietnamese:
thị dâm
— derivation of sexual satisfaction by watching people secretly
