Eavesdrop
/ˈiːvz.drɒp/noun
To secretly listen to a conversation without the speakers' knowledge.
Did you know?In medieval England, eavesdropping was linked to the eaves of houses, where listeners would hide to overhear private conversations, often for malicious purposes.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
yfesdrype
“The act of listening from beneath the eaves of a house.”
Middle English
ME
evesdropen
“To listen secretly, especially to conversations in close proximity.”
14th Century
English
eavesdrop
“Derived from the earlier form, maintaining the same meaning of secret listening.”
Modern English
English
eavesdrop
“To clandestinely listen in on conversations, now common in various contexts.”