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Today it means

voyeur

a person who gains gratification from secretly observing others

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Where does the word "voyeur" come from? It comes from French voir, and was adopted directly into English (1900s).

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Where does the word "voyeur" come from? It comes from French voir, and was adopted directly into English (1900s).

Voyeur’s story begins in French: voir meant “to see.” The root of 'view', 'survey' and 'voyant'. It reached English by 1900s as voyeur. Havelock Ellis and other sexologists introduced the word around 1900. Today, voyeur means a person who gains gratification from secretly observing others.

  1. Stage 1 · French · medieval voir "to see", the root of 'view', 'survey' and 'voyant'.
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1900s voyeur "a person who watches others secretly for gratification", Havelock Ellis and other sexologists introduced the word around 1900.

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