voyeur
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voyeur
A person who gains sexual arousal from secretly watching other people undressing, being naked, or engaging in sexual acts.
Die Polizei verhaftete einen Voyeur, der die Nachbarn mit einem Fernglas beobachtet hatte.
The police arrested a voyeur who had been watching the neighbors with binoculars.
'Voyeur' is a loanword from French and literally means 'the seer' or 'the one who watches.' This explains the spelling and pronunciation, which are unusual for German.
Er fühlte sich wie ein Voyeur, als er das private Gespräch mithörte.
He felt like a voyeur when he overheard the private conversation.
This noun is related to the adjective 'voyeuristisch' (voyeuristic) and the abstract noun 'der Voyeurismus' (voyeurism), which describes the tendency or act.
Sein Verhalten hatte voyeuristische Züge.
His behavior had voyeuristic traits.
In the figurative meaning, 'Voyeur' (voyeur) is often combined with an adjective or noun that describes the area of curiosity. Typical examples are 'politischer Voyeur' (political voyeur) or 'finanzieller Voyeur' (financial voyeur).
Als Reporter ist man manchmal auch eine Art professioneller Voyeur.
As a reporter, you are sometimes also a kind of professional voyeur.
stalker
'der Stalker' and 'der Voyeur' can both describe people who violate others' privacy. A stalker repeatedly follows or harasses a specific person and can make them feel very afraid. A voyeur secretly watches others, especially in intimate situations; figuratively, it can also mean someone who is too curious about other people's private lives. The words can be confused because both show an inappropriate interest in other people. 'Stalker' emphasizes following or harassment, while 'Voyeur' emphasizes secret watching.
Der Voyeur wurde angezeigt, weil er heimlich Menschen in der Umkleide beobachtete.
The voyeur was reported to the police because he secretly watched people in the changing room.
Der Stalker wartete mehrmals vor ihrer Wohnung und schrieb ihr ständig Nachrichten.
The stalker waited outside her apartment several times and constantly sent her messages.