Staring at someone in a way that shows you're attracted to them, often in a way that makes them uncomfortable.
From the German word 'Augel' meaning eye, ogle entered English in the 1680s. It originally meant to look at with side glances and evolved to mean staring with obvious desire or interest.
Ogling shows how a single word can capture an entire social dynamic—the discomfort of being watched, the observer's lack of subtlety. It's why many languages have similar words for this specific kind of inappropriate staring.
Ogling carries gendered power dynamics: historically associated with unwanted male gaze objectifying women. The asymmetry of who ogled whom reflected and reinforced social hierarchies.
When describing the act, specify the context to avoid normalizing objectification. Use sparingly and with awareness of power dynamics.
["staring at","looking intently at","gazing at"]
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