Periscopes

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An optical instrument that allows the observation of objects that are not in the direct line of sight by utilizing mirrors or prisms
2. A device often used in submarines to see above the water without surfacing
3. A viewing mechanism that aids in surveying environments that are obstructed from direct viewing

Etymology: "Periscopes" is the plural of "periscope," a noun for the tube fitted with mirrors that lets someone see over an obstacle or above the surface of water. The singular was formed in English from two Greek elements: "peri," meaning "around" or "about," and "-scope," from "skopein," meaning "to look at" or "to see." Its literal sense is therefore something like "a means of looking around," and the same building blocks produce words such as "telescope" and "microscope."

Synonyms: spyglass, viewfinder