Etymograph

English

contemplate

Contemplate comes from Latin contemplātus ‘having observed, noted, noticed’, and goes back to templum ‘temple, shrine, area for auspices’.

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEtemplum‘temple, shrine, area for auspices’
  2. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcontemplor‘to observe, survey, gaze (at), contemplate’
  3. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcontemplātus‘having observed, noted, noticed’perfect active participle of contemplor
  4. Englishearliest quotation 1671contemplate

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Earlier history uncertain.

Lineage

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEtemplum‘temple, shrine, area for auspices’
  2. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcontemplor‘to observe, survey, gaze (at), contemplate’
  3. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcontemplātus‘having observed, noted, noticed’perfect active participle of contemplor
  4. Englishearliest quotation 1671contemplate

Earliest quotation: 1671, John Milton, The First Book: “To love, at least contemplate and admire, / What…”

first attested First attested in the 1590s (as stated in the etymology)

The story

First attested in the 1590s; borrowed from Latin contemplātus, the perfect active participle of contemplor (‘to observe, survey, gaze (at), contemplate’), see -ate (verb-forming suffix).

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *temp- ‘to stretch, pull’

temperature, temporary, tense, antenna, temper, tempo, tamper, matin, tempura, 29 more

through Latin templum ‘temple, shrine, area for auspices’

temple, templar, 7 more

Today it means

verb To look at on all sides or in all its aspects; to view or consider with continued attention; to regard with deliberate care; to meditate on; to study, ponder, or consider.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Latin templum / contemplate

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