eye

1 of 2

noun

ˈī

: a specialized light-sensitive sensory structure of animals that in nearly all vertebrates, most arthropods, and some mollusks is the image-forming organ of sight

especially : the nearly spherical usually paired hollow organ of sight in vertebrates that is filled with a jellylike material, is lined with a photosensitive retina, and is lodged in a bony orbit in the skull

: all the visible structures within and surrounding the orbit and including eyelids, eyelashes, and eyebrows

c(1)

: the faculty of seeing with eyes

(2)

: the faculty of intellectual or aesthetic perception or appreciation

an eye for beauty

(3)

: skill or ability dependent upon eyesight

a batter with a good eye

: look, glance

cast an eager eye

e(1)

: an attentive look

kept an eye on his valuables

(2)

: attention, notice

caught his eye

(3)

: close observation : scrutiny

works under the eye of her boss

in the public eye

: point of view, judgment

beauty is in the eye of the beholder

—often used in plural

an offender in the eyes of the law

: something having an appearance suggestive of an eye: such as

: the hole through the head of a needle

: a usually circular marking (as on a peacock's tail)

: loop

especially : a loop or catch to receive a hook

: an undeveloped bud (as on a potato)

: an area like a hole in the center of a tropical cyclone marked by only light winds or complete calm with no precipitation

: the center of a flower especially when differently colored or marked

specifically : the disk of a composite

g(1)

: a triangular piece of beef cut from between the top and bottom of a round

(2)

: the chief muscle of a chop

(3)

: a compact mass of muscular tissue usually embedded in fat in a rib or loin cut of meat

: a device (such as a photoelectric cell) that functions in a manner analogous to human vision

: something central : center

the eye of the problem—

Norman Mailer

: the direction from which the wind is blowing

eyeless

ˈī-ləs

adjective

eyelike

ˈī-ˌlīk

adjective

Illustration of eye

1 optic nerve
2 blind spot
3 fovea
4 sclera
5 choroid
6 retina
7 ciliary body
8 posterior chamber
9 anterior chamber
10 cornea
11 lens
12 iris
13 suspensory ligament
14 conjunctiva
15 vitreous humor

eye

2 of 2

verb

eyed; eyeing or eying

transitive verb

a(1)

: to fix the eyes on : look at

they eyed him suspiciously

(2)

: contemplate, consider

eyeing the choices

: to watch or study closely

eyeing changes in the stock market

: to furnish with an eye

intransitive verb

obsolete : seem, look

eyer

ˈī(-ə)r

noun

Phrases

an eye for an eye

: retribution in kind

my eye

—used to express mild disagreement or sometimes surprise

a diamond, my eye! That's glass

with an eye to or less commonly with an eye toward

: with awareness or contemplation of

with an eye to the future

: with the object of

built the house with an eye to adding on later

Did you know?

The eye is an organ that receives light and visual images. Non-image forming eyes (also called direction eyes) are found among worms, mollusks, cnidarians, echinoderms, and other invertebrates. Image-forming eyes are found in certain mollusks, most arthropods, and nearly all vertebrates. Arthropods are unique in possessing a compound eye, which results in their seeing a multiple image that is partially integrated in the brain. Lower vertebrates, such as fish, have eyes on either side of the head, allowing a maximum view of the surroundings, but producing two separate fields of vision. In predatory birds and mammals, binocular vision is more important. The placement of both eyes on the front of the head permits a larger overlap of the two visual fields, resulting in a parallel line of direct sight.

Examples of eye in a Sentence

Noun Her eyes slowly became accustomed to the dark. He wears a patch over one eye. I have something in my eye. Only a trained eye can tell the difference between the original painting and a good copy. For decorating, they rely on her discerning eye. He has an artist's eye for color. He reviewed the proposal with a jaundiced eye. The biographer cast a cold eye on the artist's life. Verb I saw someone eyeing me from across the street. a lot of his backyard bird watching was spent eyeing the squirrels as they depleted the bird feeder of seeds

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Pointing a gun at close range, the Captain orders the Major to turn around, but the panic in his voice and tears in his eyes lead the Major to a realization. —

Selome Hailu, Variety, 29 Apr. 2024 His diamond eyes peered out from beneath the brim of a red cap, the cap, emblazoned with his once and future promise to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. —

Charles Homans Robert Petkoff Anna Diamond Ted Blaisdell, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2024 Jake and his siblings largely grew up out of the public eye — an intentional decision made by their famous dad, as Bon Jovi explained to The Guardian in 2021. —

Emily Blackwood, Peoplemag, 27 Apr. 2024 Instead of turning a blind eye and hoping someone else would come and save the area, artists banded together and began creating art studios. —

The Arizona Republic, 27 Apr. 2024 Humans have three types of cones in our eyes for red, green and blue light. —

Karina Zaiets, USA TODAY, 27 Apr. 2024 In the meantime, conservationists are encouraging drivers in South Texas to slow down and keep their eyes peeled for any ocelots that may be crossing the road—like the one killed in Hidalgo County three years ago—especially from dusk to dawn. —

Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Apr. 2024 Like many outlets that cover the White House, McClatchy is sometimes responsible for being part of the protective press pool – a group of 13 journalists responsible for being the eyes and ears of the press corps while the president travels. —

Daniel Desrochers, Kansas City Star, 26 Apr. 2024 In this case, the frost kicks off a cascade of chemical reactions that primes the plant, telling it to keep an eye out for its next cue: the warmth and a change in the light. —

Corey Buhay, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Apr. 2024

Verb

Frazier, who was making his 33rd career start in right field, eyed his opportunity to make a big play. —

Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 26 Apr. 2024 The fast-casual seafood chain is reportedly eyeing Chapter 11 bankruptcy after an endless shrimp deal proved way too popular. —

Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 25 Apr. 2024 The week before Valentine’s Day, a man eyed the jewelry case and asked an employee to take out a necklace. —

Drew Jackson, Miami Herald, 25 Apr. 2024 Buckeye has already eyed the Harquahala sub-basin, allocating about $80 million for a lot with groundwater rights. —

Alexandra Hardle, The Arizona Republic, 24 Apr. 2024 The for-profit platform is eyeing new international targets now that the unprecedented strain of crowdfunding campaign levels spawned by COVID-19 has eased to pre-pandemic figures, CEO Tim Cadogan told The Associated Press. —

James Pollard, Quartz, 23 Apr. 2024 Johnson eyes a weekend vote on foreign aid bills House Speaker Mike Johnson rolled out three bills to provide assistance to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan, with the hopes of holding final votes Saturday. —

Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 18 Apr. 2024 The outlet cited sources who said DiCaprio, 49, would play the iconic singer-actor in the film, with Jennifer Lawrence also eyed as Sinatra's second wife Ava Gardner. —

Tommy McArdle, Peoplemag, 17 Apr. 2024 The project was at one point eying a fall 2023 start, but the twin strikes last year pushed the start of production. —

Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'eye.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English ēage; akin to Old High German ouga eye, Latin oculus, Greek ōps eye, face, Sanskrit akṣi eye

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a(1)

Time Traveler

The first known use of eye was before the 12th century

See more words from the same century

Phrases Containing eye

Cite this Entry

Style

“Eye.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eye. Accessed 2 May. 2024.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

eye

1 of 2 noun

ˈī

: an organ of sight

especially : a rounded hollow organ that is filled with a jellylike material, is lined with a sensitive retina, and is located in a bone-lined cavity in the skull of a vertebrate

: all the visible parts (as the eyelids) within and surrounding the bone-lined cavity

: ability to see or appreciate

a good eye for painting

: glance entry 2 sense 3

cast an eager eye

: close attention or observation

keep an eye on it

: judgment sense 1

guilty in the eyes of the law

: something like or suggestive of an eye: as

: the hole through the head of a needle

: a loop to catch or receive a hook

: an undeveloped bud (as on a potato)

: a device (as a photoelectric cell) that functions somewhat like human vision

: the center of something

the eye of a hurricane

eyed

ˈīd

adjective

eyeless

ˈī-ləs

adjective

eyelike

-ˌlīk

adjective

eye

2 of 2 verb

eyed; eyeing or eying

: to watch or study closely

Medical Definition

eye

noun

ˈī

: an organ of sight

especially : a nearly spherical hollow organ that is lined with a sensitive retina, is lodged in a bony orbit in the skull, is the vertebrate organ of sight, and is normally paired

: all the visible structures within and surrounding the orbit and including eyelids, eyelashes, and eyebrows

: the faculty of seeing with eyes

eyeless

ˈī-ləs

adjective

eyelike

-ˌlīk

adjective

Last Updated: 1 May 2024 - Updated example sentences

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eye

noun

Illustration of eye

verb

Did you know?

Synonyms

Examples of eye in a Sentence

Word History

Dictionary Entries Near eye

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Medical Definition