have eyes in the back of one's head

verb

To be particularly, especially uncannily, observant, as if able to see in all directions at once.

“It's so busy at our office you need eyes in the back of your head to work here!”

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Meanings

verbhave eyes in the back of one's head (third-person singular simple present has eyes in the back of one's head, present participle having eyes in the back of one's head, simple past and past participle had eyes in the back of one's head)

present singular third person has eyes in the back of one's head · participle present having eyes in the back of one's head · participle past had eyes in the back of one's head · past had eyes in the back of one's head

  1. idiomaticTo be particularly, especially uncannily, observant, as if able to see in all directions at once.

    It's so busy at our office you need eyes in the back of your head to work here!

    1 more example

    Don't think you can misbehave while I'm cooking dinner. I have eyes in the back of my head.

Origin

From Latin in occipitio quoque habet oculos ("she has eyes even on the back of her head"), from Plautus, Aulularia (The Pot of Gold), act 1, scene 1.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish olla silmät selässä
  • olla silmät selässäto be uncannily observant
French avoir des yeux derrière la tête, avoir des yeux dans le dos
  • avoir des yeux derrière la têteto be uncannily observant
  • avoir des yeux dans le dosto be uncannily observant
Polish mieć oczy z tyłu głowy
  • mieć oczy z tyłu głowyto be uncannily observant
Spanish tener ojos en la nuca
  • tener ojos en la nucato be uncannily observant
Swedish ha ögon i nacken
  • ha ögon i nackento be uncannily observant
Cite this entry
APA

have eyes in the back of one's head. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/have%20eyes%20in%20the%20back%20of%20one's%20head

MLA

“have eyes in the back of one's head.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/have%20eyes%20in%20the%20back%20of%20one's%20head. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “have eyes in the back of one's head,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/have%20eyes%20in%20the%20back%20of%20one's%20head.

Source: have eyes in the back of one's head on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.