English
microscopical
Microscopical comes from Italian microscopio ‘microscope’, from Ancient Greek σκοπέω ‘to look, look at, behold’, 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-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*sképt͏̌omai‘to look at’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσκέπτομαιsképtomai‘to look at, examine’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEσκοπόςskopós‘watcher, lookout’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEσκοπέωskopéō‘to look, look at, behold’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmīcroscopium‘microscope’
- Italianc. 1300–presentmicroscopio‘microscope’
- English1500–presentmicroscope
- Englishearliest quotation 1665microscopical
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
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-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*sképt͏̌omai‘to look at’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσκέπτομαιsképtomai‘to look at, examine’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEσκοπόςskopós‘watcher, lookout’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEσκοπέωskopéō‘to look, look at, behold’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmīcroscopium‘microscope’
- Italianc. 1300–presentmicroscopio‘microscope’
- English1500–presentmicroscope
- Englishearliest quotation 1665microscopical
Earliest quotation: 1665, Robert Hooke, Micrographia: “I have observed in green Wood all those long…”
A compound of microscope + -ical
Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- ‘to see, to look, to observe’
…
Ancient Greek σκοπός ‘watcher, lookout’
Ancient Greek σκοπέω ‘to look, look at, behold’
Latin mīcroscopium
Italian microscopio
English microscope
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- ‘to see, to look, to observe’
spy, suspicion, espionage, skeptic, especial, inconspicuous, espy, 113 more
through Proto-Indo-European *spéḱyeti ‘to be looking at, to keep looking at’
special, respect, specific, despite, species, perspective, aspect, spectrum, inspector, inspection, spectacular, expectation, speculation, spite, specify, specimen, inspect, spice, spectacle, spectator, speculative, speculate, retrospective, specter, retrospect, conspicuous, expectant, circumspect, specious, speculator, specular, 110 more
through Ancient Greek σκέπτομαι ‘to look at, examine’
through Ancient Greek σκοπός ‘watcher, lookout’
scope, episcopal, bishopric, 90 more
through Ancient Greek σκοπέω ‘to look, look at, behold’
kaleidoscope, spectroscopic, endoscopic, gyroscope, macroscopic, 84 more
Today it means
adj Pertaining to the microscope; achieved by means of a microscope.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- / microscopical