What does periscope mean?
Word: Periscope
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Periscope means a long tube with mirrors inside that lets you see things above or around something, used for example in a submarine.
Word origin: Formed in English in the 1800s from Greek parts meaning "around" and "look".
How do you spell periscope?
Syllables: per - i - scope
Tricky part: The middle vowel is an i, even though it sounds like the weak "uh" that students often write as e.
Watch out for: perescope, perascope
Memory tip: A periscope helps you peek round things, and the i in the middle is like an eye peeping out over a wall.
Periscope in a sentence
Example 1: The submarine's captain raised the periscope to check the sea above.
Example 2: We made a periscope from a juice carton and two small mirrors in our craft class.
Example 3: In the crowded stadium, Arjun used a toy periscope to watch the opening ceremony.
Fun Fact
A simple periscope uses two mirrors set at 45 degrees, so light bounces down the tube from the top mirror to the bottom one and out to your eye.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Fusion
Choose the two parts that join to make a meaningful word:
1. graph 2. meter 3. kaleido 4. peri 5. phone 6. scope
a) 4 and 6
b) 2 and 5
c) 4 and 5
d) 3 and 1
Show answer
a) 4 and 6. Peri and scope join to name the viewing tube; kaleidograph, periphone and meterphone are not words.
Sound Check
In which word is 'sc' pronounced differently?
a) periscope
b) scooter
c) escape
d) science
Show answer
d) science. In science, sc makes a soft s sound; in periscope, scooter and escape it says "sk".
Jumble Tumble
Which option has letters that you can rearrange to form the name of a viewing instrument?
a) noeelepv
b) opeicsrpe
c) mnaelode
d) tleapenh
Show answer
b) opeicsrpe. One set makes periscope, an instrument for seeing; the others make envelope, lemonade and elephant.
Spell Spies
Choose the misspelt word/s in the given sentence:
Our scout troop used a periskope made of cardboard to watch the birds nesting on the roof without scaring them.
a) troop and nesting
b) only periskope
c) only nesting
d) periskope and scaring
Show answer
b) only periskope. The word keeps the c of scope, as telescope and microscope do; troop, nesting and scaring are all correct.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Why does a periscope need mirrors?
a) to keep the tube cool inside
b) to send light round corners
c) to keep water out of the tube
d) to make things look larger
Show answer
b) to send light round corners
2. A periscope would be most useful for ___.
a) reading tiny print up close
b) looking over a high wall
c) seeing stars far away
d) hearing faint sounds
Show answer
b) looking over a high wall
