sight

The word “sight” means the ability to see; vision. In plain terms, the sense of vision, or something seen — plus, informally, "a sight" can mean "a lot" (a sight of trouble).

“Sight” is pronounced syt (/saɪt/ in IPA).

Here is “sight” used in a sentence: “She lost her sight in one eye after the accident.”

Words with a similar meaning to “sight” include see, espy, glimpse and spot.

Depending on how it is used, “sight” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “sight” comes from Old English. From Old English sihþ, related to see — literally "the act or power of seeing".

“Sight” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

“Sight” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the ability to see; vision.

'Sight' is the basic physical ability to see — the function of the eyes. 'Vision' means this too, but reaches further: sharpness of sight, or a mental picture of the future, as in a leader's vision. So all vision includes sight, but 'vision' also stretches into imagination and foresight.

Yes. Sight is measured through eye tests, most commonly visual acuity charts that produce figures like 20/20 vision. Opticians also measure field of vision, colour perception, and focusing ability. These tests show how clearly and fully a person sees, and help detect problems that glasses or treatment can correct.

Besides the ability to see, 'sight' means something seen, especially something notable — the sights of a city. It also means the range of vision, as in 'out of sight', a device for aiming a gun, and, informally, a mess — 'you look a sight'. Context makes the meaning clear.

These sound alike but differ in meaning. 'Sight' is the ability to see, or something seen. 'Site' is a location, such as a building site or a website. 'Cite' is a verb meaning to quote or refer to a source. Confusing their spellings is a very common mistake.