peep

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /pip/ UK /piːp/ See IPA manual

Freq #9711

Meanings

1

verb
To look quickly or secretly, especially through a small opening.

The man peeped through the small hole in the fence.
2

verb
To begin to appear or come slowly into view.

The new moon peeped through the tree tops.
3

noun
A small, weak sound or the slightest word of complaint.

I don't want to hear a peep out of you!

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to look quickly or... keek

Word family

Forms peepedpeepingpeeps

Derived forms bo-peepby-peepday-peeppeekpeep-bopeep-toepeeperpeeperspeepholepeeplesspeepopeepy

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

peep sight
a sight with a small rear opening through which a target is viewed

Noun + noun

Etymology

From Middle English pepen. Compare Dutch piepen (“peep”), German Low German piepen (“to peep”), German piepen and pfeifen, all probably onomatopoeic.

pepen Middle English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# peep

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /pip/
**IPA (UK):** /piːp/
**Frequency rank:** 9711

## Meanings
1. To look quickly or secretly, especially through a small opening.
2. To begin to appear or come slowly into view.
3. A small, weak sound or the slightest word of complaint.

## Examples
- The man peeped through the small hole in the fence.
- The new moon peeped through the tree tops.
- I don't want to hear a peep out of you!

## Derived Forms
- bo-peep
- by-peep
- day-peep
- peek
- peep-bo
- peep-toe
- peeper
- peepers
- peephole
- peepless
- peepo
- peepy

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: pepen

## Etymology
From Middle English pepen. Compare Dutch piepen (“peep”), German Low German piepen (“to peep”), German piepen and pfeifen, all probably onomatopoeic.

## AI Etymology
Peep comes from Middle English pepen. Compare Dutch piepen (“peep”), German Low German piepen (“to peep”), German piepen and pfeifen, all probably onomatopoeic. Modern senses include to look quickly or secretly, especially through a small opening and to begin to appear or come slowly into view. The wider word family includes derivatives such as bo-peep, by-peep, day-peep, peek, peep-bo, and peep-toe.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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