apple of the eye

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apple of the eye

/ˈæp.əl.əv.ðiˈaɪ/ US

Rhymes with -aɪ

Where it comes from

From Middle English appel of the eyȝe, appel of þe ye, perhaps dissimilated from Middle English ij appel (literally “eye-apple”). More at eye-apple.

noun apples of the eye

The pupil, or pupil and iris, of the eye, originally believed to be spherical; also, the eyeball.
Similar: apple, eye-apple

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MLA

"apple of the eye." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/apple%20of%20the%20eye. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

apple of the eye. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/apple%20of%20the%20eye

Chicago

"apple of the eye." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/apple%20of%20the%20eye.

BibTeX

@misc{apple_of_the_eye_2026,
  title = {apple of the eye},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/apple%20of%20the%20eye},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}