The first plates: a spiral-bound book of pictures
A surviving 1959 Series of Plates shows what the first test looked like. It's a heavy, spiral-bound book of pictures printed on one side of each leaf only, issued through George Peabody College for Teachers. This copy is marked as a preliminary, pre-release version.5
The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History also holds a copy of the test in its collection.3
Listen, then point
Press play to hear the word, then tap the matching picture. The words start easy and get harder. If your browser can't speak, switch to "Read it" and the word will appear on screen.
Twelve plates made for this page from printed symbols. They aren't PPVT words or pictures and aren't scored on its norms.
A family test, across three Dunns
The test was built at George Peabody College in Nashville, now part of Vanderbilt University, as one of several assessment tools the Dunns developed there. That's where the name comes from.4,2
For context, President John F. Kennedy visited Peabody College in 1963 to meet researchers working on intellectual and developmental disabilities.7
Four pictures, one word, rising difficulty
Five editions under one name
Few psychological tests have stayed in continuous use under the same name and format for more than 65 years.4
Author chips show who is credited on each edition. The authors of the 1981 and 1997 editions aren't stated in these sources. The PPVT-5 was published in 2018 with a 2019 citation date.4
What it's used for, and where it falls short
Speech-language pathologists use it to assess language development and delays, and researchers use it as a quick estimate of verbal ability.4
It is often interpreted as a measure of verbal intelligence, reported on a scale with mean 100 and SD 15.2
Because it needs no reading, it is useful for people with intellectual disability or physical disabilities who can still see and hear.6
References
- [1]Wikipedia contributors. Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (accessed 30 Sept 2026).en.wikipedia.org
- [2]Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test. In A Dictionary of Psychology. Oxford Reference.oxfordreference.com
- [3]Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (object record nmah_1286766). National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution.americanhistory.si.edu
- [4]What is the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test? The PPVT-5 explained. Riot IQ (2026).riotiq.com
- [5]Dunn, L. M. Series of Plates for the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (1959, preliminary copy). Bookseller description, Flamingo Books via AbeBooks.abebooks.com
- [6]What is the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test all about? Bright Hub Education (2008).brighthubeducation.com
- [7]Lloyd Dunn and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test. Vanderbilt Kennedy Center history.vkc.vumc.org
- [8]Eigsti, I. M. (2017). Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test. In Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders. ResearchGate.researchgate.net
Related historical tests
A children's test scored from a drawing of a person. Like the PPVT, it tries to reach young or language-limited children without asking them to read or write.
Children also answer by pointing, choosing one of six options. The difference is what's measured: Raven targets non-verbal reasoning, the PPVT understanding of spoken words.
Its Vocabulary subtest asks children to define words aloud, which tests expressive vocabulary. The PPVT tests receptive vocabulary in a fraction of the time, with no speaking needed.
The adult test that made mean 100, SD 15 the standard in clinics. PPVT scores are reported on that same kind of scale.
A booklet test for whole classrooms, published five years earlier. The PPVT went the other way: one examiner with one person, a book of plates and a spoken word.
The WWI picture test for recruits who couldn't read English. It is an early case of replacing written items with pictures, which the PPVT built its whole format on.