peek

Peek is a term with two general senses. As a verb, it means to look quickly or briefly at something, often with a sense of secrecy or curiosity. A related noun form, a peek, refers to the act of taking such a quick look. The word is used across everyday language, technology, and culture to describe glimpsing something without a full or sustained view.

In computing and data processing, peek denotes an operation that lets a program inspect the next item in a sequence or stream without removing it from the source. The precise behavior depends on the data structure: in a stack, peek returns the top element; in a queue, it returns the front element; in a stream or buffer, it allows viewing the next unit without consuming it. The peek operation is typically contrasted with remove, pop, or read, which retrieve and often consume the item.

Peeking is common in algorithms, parsers, and user-interface workflows where decisions must be made without altering the underlying data structure. It enables lookahead behavior, conditional processing, and safe inspection, especially in situations where consuming data prematurely could disrupt subsequent steps.

Outside technical usage, Peek is also used as a brand or product name in various industries, including consumer electronics and travel services. As a general term, it appears in titles and marketing rather than signifying a single, unified concept. See also related terms like peekaboo, which reflects the playful, partial visibility implied by the root idea of peeking.