English
conspicuous
Conspicuous comes from Latin conspicuus ‘visible, striking’, from cōnspicere ‘to notice’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- ‘to see, to look, to observe’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*speḱ-‘to see, to look, to observe’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*spéḱyeti‘to be looking at, to keep looking at’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*spekjō‘to observe, see’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEspeciōas specere‘to look at’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcōnspicere‘to notice’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEconspicuus‘visible, striking’
- Englishearliest quotation 1928conspicuous
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*speḱ-‘to see, to look, to observe’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*spéḱyeti‘to be looking at, to keep looking at’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*spekjō‘to observe, see’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEspeciōas specere‘to look at’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcōnspicere‘to notice’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEconspicuus‘visible, striking’
- Englishearliest quotation 1928conspicuous
Earliest quotation: 1928, Lawrence R. Bourne: “No, don't,” replied the superintendent; “in fact, I'd rather…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- ‘to see, to look, to observe’
spy, suspicion, microscope, espionage, skeptic, kaleidoscope, gyroscope, espy, 114 more
through Proto-Indo-European *spéḱyeti ‘to be looking at, to keep looking at’
scope, skeptical, spectroscopic, macroscopic, endoscopic, 112 more
through Proto-Italic *spekjō ‘to observe, see’
speculation, speculative, speculate, especial, specular, 24 more
through Latin speciō ‘to look at’
special, respect, specific, despite, species, perspective, aspect, spectrum, inspector, expectation, spectacular, inspection, spite, specify, specimen, spectacle, spice, spectator, retrospective, inspect, retrospect, expectant, specter, circumspect, speculator, specious, 26 more
Today it means
adj Obvious or easy to notice.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- / conspicuous