Word
eyeball
Phoneticseye·ball, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈaɪˌbɔɫ/
UK/ˈaɪbɔːl/
Countable noun
Definition
n. the whole round part of your eye. In casual talk, people also use this word to mean the number of people watching a video or looking at a website.
n. the entire ball-shaped part of the eye, including the parts hidden by the socket. In informal or marketing contexts, it refers to a person viewing a specific piece of media or advertisement.
Examples
“The doctor checked my eyeball for any signs of redness.”
“The marketing team is focused on getting more eyeballs on their new social media campaign this month.”
“While the anatomical structure of the eyeball is remarkably complex, the digital economy treats it as a simple unit of attention to be bought and sold by advertisers.”
Examples
simple
“The doctor checked my eyeball for any signs of redness.”
contextual
“The marketing team is focused on getting more eyeballs on their new social media campaign this month.”
complex
“While the anatomical structure of the eyeball is remarkably complex, the digital economy treats it as a simple unit of attention to be bought and sold by advertisers.”
Usage
Often used in the plural ('eyeballs') when referring to an audience or web traffic in a business context.
Real-World Examples
“When you open them there needs to be a pleat, so when you close them there is enough skin to cover the eyeball.” “It is "better than a pilot's eyeballs" says Rose.” Etymology
From eye + ball. Compare Middle English balle off the eye, balle of þe eyȝe (“eyeball”, literally “ball of the eye”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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