Sight Meaning
/saɪt/Definition, CEFR level A2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounThe ability to see.
nounThe act of seeing; perception of objects by the eye; view.
Sentence Examples
Did you fall in love with her at first sight?
You must not lose sight of your goal in life.
The beautiful mountain view was a wonderful sight to behold.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The doctor tested his ____ by asking him to read letters on a chart.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The sunset over the ocean was a beautiful ____ that we will remember for many years to come.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English sighte, from Old English sihþ (“something seen; vision”), from Proto-West Germanic *sihti (“seeing, sight”), equivalent to see + -t. Cognates Cognate with Cimbrian gazicht (“sight, vision; pupil”), Dutch gezicht (“face; sight, vision”), zicht (“sight, vision”), German Gesicht (“face; sight, vision”), Sicht (“view; sight; visibility”), Luxembourgish Gesiicht (“face”), Siicht (“view; sight”), Yiddish געזיכט (gezikht, “face”), Danish sigt (“sight; visibility”), Norwegian Bokmål and Norwegian Nynorsk sikt (“visibility”), Swedish sikt (“visibility”), sikte (“sight”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Thy sight is young, / And thou shalt read when mine begin to dazzle."
— c. 1588–1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:
"O loſs of ſight, of thee I moſt complain!"
— 1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 12, line 67:
"And when hee had spoken these things, while they beheld, hee was taken vp, and a cloud receiued him out of their sight."
— 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Acts 1:9:
"He's a really remarkable man and it's very hard to get him in one's sights; […]"
— 2005, Plato, translated by Lesley Brown, Sophist, page 236d:
"And Moses saide, I will nowe turne aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt."
— 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Exodus 3:3:
Explore More A2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The doctor tested his ____ by asking him to read letters on a chart.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The sunset over the ocean was a beautiful ____ that we will remember for many years to come.