hide-and-seek
UK[ˌhaɪd n̩ ˈsiːk]US[ˌhaɪd n̩ ˈsiːk]
n
a children's game in which one player covers their eyes and counts while the others hide, and then the first player tries to find those who are hiding.
Morpheme Breakdown
hide
and
seek
hide
conceal
and
conjunction
seek
search for
Etymology
The compound noun "hide-and-seek" is a transparent description of the game's core actions, formed from three native English words. "Hide" originates from the Old English verb hȳdan, meaning to put or keep out of sight, while "seek" comes from the Old English sēcan, meaning to pursue or search for. The conjunction "and" simply links these two opposing actions into a sequential narrative. This straightforward, literal naming convention emerged in the 18th century, perfectly capturing the game's simple yet universal logic of concealment and discovery, and remains a prime example of how English can create clear compound terms from its Germanic lexical stock.
Analysis
Structure: hide (conceal) + and (conjunction) + seek (search for)
- hide: From Old English hȳdan (to conceal, cover), of Germanic origin.
- and: From Old English and, ond (a conjunction meaning 'also, in addition'), of Germanic origin.
- seek: From Old English sēcan (to go to, look for), of Germanic origin.
Examples
The children spent the afternoon playing hide-and-seek in the garden.
The rules of hide-and-seek are simple and understood worldwide.
He could hear the giggles of his friends while he was counting during hide-and-seek.