Side eye
Etymology
Describes a literal sideways look, long present in African American Vernacular English and Black expressive culture as a gesture of suspicion or scorn. The phrase spread widely online in the 2010s, carried by reaction images and GIFs.
noun · /SYD-eye/
A sidelong glance that conveys skepticism, disapproval, or distrust without a word.
What it names
It names silent judgment made visible — the look that registers doubt or disdain while keeping it deniable. It communicates a reaction you might not want to state outright, and lets a face do the work of a sentence.
Example
When he claimed he’d “basically read” the book, she gave the report a slow side eye.
Related idea
Narrower than throwing shade: side eye is a specific facial gesture, while shade is any veiled insult, spoken or not.
See also