overhear

Meaning

To hear something that was not meant for one's ears.

Synonyms

eavesdrop

catch

tap

monitor

listen

wiretap

snoop

take in

bug

🐛

play the eavesdropper

hear

intercept

listen in

smell

👃

happened to hear that

happen to hear

attend

Translations

luistervinken

kulak misafiri olmak

belauschen

surprendre

entendre

lauschen

Pronounced as (IPA)

/oʊ.vɚˈhɪɚ/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: overheren

Inherited from Old English: oferhīeran

Cognate with Dutch: overhoren

Cognate with German: überhören

Cognate with Danish: overhøre

Cognate with Icelandic: yfirheyra

Cognate with Gothic: *𐌿𐍆𐌰𐍂𐌷𐌰𐌿𐍃𐌾𐌰𐌽

In summary

From Middle English overheren, from Old English oferhīeran (“to overhear, hear, disobey, disregard, neglect”), equivalent to over- + hear. Cognate with Dutch overhoren (“to hear, hear about”), German überhören (“to not hear, ignore”), Danish overhøre (“to overhear”), Icelandic yfirheyra (“to hear”), Gothic *𐌿𐍆𐌰𐍂𐌷𐌰𐌿𐍃𐌾𐌰𐌽 (*ufarhausjan, “to disregard, disobey”) (in 𐌿𐍆𐌰𐍂𐌷𐌰𐌿𐍃𐌴𐌹𐌽𐍃 (ufarhauseins)).