# private eye

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. A private personal detective, employed to gather information about someone.

## Etymology
From private investigator and its abbreviation P.I., through the homophonic term eye in place of "I", and the use of "eye" as a reference to surveillance.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/private-eye