Pohledech

Pohledech is a term used in discussions of nonverbal communication to denote a sustained or pointed glance directed at another person or object, often carrying intentional meaning beyond words. It describes a moment where the gaze signals interest, recognition, challenge, desire, or scrutiny, depending on context and accompanying body language. The term is believed to originate in Slavic languages, linked to pohled, meaning view or glance, though its precise etymology is unclear and it is not universally standardized in linguistic literature.

In practice, a pohlédech can be brief, like a single meaningful look, or extended, forming a silent thread within a scene. In literature and film, authors and directors may rely on a pohledech to convey mood or intent, using the eyes of a character to communicate what cannot be stated aloud. Social psychology studies gaze behavior, including sustained looks, shifts in eye contact, and mutual gaze, as cues in interpersonal interaction.

The concept of pohledech intersects with general ideas of eye contact, gaze signaling, and nonverbal communication, and is often discussed in analysis of romantic pursuit, conflict, or surveillance dynamics. Because the term is not widely standardized, usage varies and may be more common in informal discourse or regional language discussions than in formal linguistic taxonomy.