borescope

B3O1R1E1S1C3O1P3E1

noun

An optical instrument used for seeing inside tight spaces, consisting of a rigid or flexible tube with an optical relay inside so that the view through a lens or window at one end of the tube may be seen from a lens or eyepiece in the opposite end of the tube.

“Maintenance borescoped the jet engine to check for damaged turbine blades.”

OriginAncient Greek σκοπέω (skopéō) ← Proto-Hellenic *sképt͏̌omai ← Proto-Indo-European *spéḱyeti →
RareScrabble 15
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Meanings

nounborescope (plural borescopes)

plural borescopes · alternative boroscope

  1. An optical instrument used for seeing inside tight spaces, consisting of a rigid or flexible tube with an optical relay inside so that the view through a lens or window at one end of the tube may be seen from a lens or eyepiece in the opposite end of the tube.
verbborescope (third-person singular simple present borescopes, present participle borescoping, simple past and past participle borescoped)

present singular third person borescopes · participle present borescoping · participle past borescoped · past borescoped · alternative boroscope

  1. To see inside or examine (something) using a borescope.

    Maintenance borescoped the jet engine to check for damaged turbine blades.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*bʰerH-
  2. Proto-Germanic*burōną
  3. Proto-West Germanic*borōn
  4. Old Englishborian
  5. Middle Englishboren
  6. Englishbore
  7. Proto-Indo-European*speḱ-
  8. Proto-Indo-European*spéḱyeti
  9. Proto-Hellenic*sképt͏̌omai
  10. Ancient Greekσκέπτομαι (sképtomai)
  11. Ancient Greekσκοπός (skopós)
  12. Ancient Greekσκοπέω (skopéō)
  13. Englishborescope

From bore + -scope.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

borescope. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/borescope

MLA

“borescope.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/borescope. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “borescope,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/borescope.

Source: borescope on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.