I spy

noun

A game where players have to guess what one can see, based on the initial letter of the object.

“- Let's play I spy! I spy with my little eye something beginning with W. - Is it a watering-can?”

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Meanings

nounI spy (uncountable)

alternative I-spy

  1. uncountablegamesA game where players have to guess what one can see, based on the initial letter of the object.

    - Let's play I spy! I spy with my little eye something beginning with W. - Is it a watering-can?

  2. archaicuncountablegamesA children's game of hide and seek, so called from the cry when one is found.

Origin

From the phrase I spy with my little eye used in the game.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish I spy -leikki
  • I spy -leikkiguessing game
German ich sehe was, was du nicht siehst
  • ich sehe was, was du nicht siehstguessing game
Polish gra w zgadywanie tego, co się widzi
  • gra w zgadywanie tego, co się widziguessing game
Spanish veo veo
  • veo veoguessing game
Swedish but see ett skepp kommer lastat
  • but see ett skepp kommer lastatguessing game
Cite this entry
APA

I spy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/I%20spy

MLA

“I spy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/I%20spy. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “I spy,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/I%20spy.

Source: I spy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.