English
inspection
Inspection comes from Latin īnspectiō ‘examination, inspection’, from speciō ‘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 look at’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEīnspiciō‘to inspect’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEīnspectiō‘examination, inspection’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400inspeccion
- Englishearliest quotation 1960inspection
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 look at’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEīnspiciō‘to inspect’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEīnspectiō‘examination, inspection’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400inspeccion
- Englishearliest quotation 1960inspection
Earliest quotation: 1960, Inter-city diesel units for the Hull-Liverpool service of th: “Trap doors are provided at various places in the…”
Equivalent to inspect + -ion
Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- ‘to see, to look, to observe’
…
Proto-Italic *spekjō ‘to observe, see’
Latin speciō ‘to look at’
Latin inspicere ‘to look into’
Latin inspectum
English inspect
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- ‘to see, to look, to observe’
spy, suspicion, microscope, espionage, skeptic, kaleidoscope, gyroscope, espy, 115 more
through Proto-Indo-European *spéḱyeti ‘to be looking at, to keep looking at’
scope, skeptical, endoscopic, macroscopic, spectroscopic, 113 more
through Proto-Italic *spekjō ‘to observe, see’
speculation, speculate, speculative, inconspicuous, especial, specular, 25 more
through Latin speciō ‘to look at’
special, despite, specific, respect, species, perspective, spite, spice, aspect, spectrum, spectacular, specify, specimen, expectation, spectacle, conspicuous, spectator, retrospective, retrospect, expectant, specter, speculator, circumspect, specious, 28 more
Today it means
noun The act of examining something, often closely.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- / inspection