English
expectant
Expectant comes from Latin exspectans ‘expecting’, from spectō ‘to look at’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *speḱ-.
- 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 CEspeciō‘to see’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEspectō‘to look at’frequentative of speciō
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEexspectō‘expect’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEexspectansas expectans‘expecting’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400expectant
- Englishearliest quotation 1842expectant
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 CEspeciō‘to see’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEspectō‘to look at’frequentative of speciō
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEexspectō‘expect’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEexspectansas expectans‘expecting’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400expectant
- Englishearliest quotation 1842expectant
Earliest quotation: 1842, anonymous collaborator of Letitia Elizab, Keeping up Appearances. […]: “After seeing all the beautiful little wardrobe of the…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- ‘to see, to look, to observe’
spy, suspicion, espionage, microscope, skeptic, kaleidoscope, gyroscope, espy, 114 more
through Proto-Indo-European *spéḱyeti ‘to be looking at, to keep looking at’
scope, skeptical, endoscopic, macroscopic, spectroscopic, 112 more
through Proto-Italic *spekjō ‘to observe, see’
speculation, speculative, speculate, inconspicuous, especial, specular, 24 more
through Latin speciō ‘to see’
despite, special, specific, respect, species, perspective, spite, spice, aspect, inspector, spectrum, inspection, specify, specimen, conspicuous, retrospective, inspect, retrospect, specter, speculator, specious, 27 more
through Latin spectō ‘to look at’
Today it means
adj Marked by expectation.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- / expectant