Ogling

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To gaze at another person or object with keen interest or desire, often implying attraction or lustful intent
2. To observe someone or something intently and eagerly, typically with an air of fascination or flirtation
3. To stare at a person with strong attraction or rude curiosity

Etymology: "Ogling" is the present participle of "ogle," and the verb itself appears in the 1600s, probably borrowed from Low German "ögeln," meaning to flirt with one's eyes. That German verb is a frequentative, a form that repeats or intensifies an action, of "ögen," which goes back to Old Saxon "ōgian," meaning "to show." So at its root, the idea is closer to making something visible than to staring. The word's English form looks like "eye" plus the diminutive-style ending "-le," which is why it seems to fit so neatly with "eye." Some scholars, however, think the immediate source may have been a Dutch verb "ogelen," though no evidence for it survives beyond the simpler "ogen," so the Low German route is the more likely one.

Synonyms: staring, gazing

Antonyms: ignoring