Etymograph

English

observe

Observe comes from Latin observō ‘to watch’, from servō ‘to keep’, and ultimately from Proto-Italic *serwos.

  1. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*serwosreconstructed
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEservus
  3. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEservō‘to keep’
  4. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEobservō‘to watch’
  5. Old Frenchc. 842–1400observer
  6. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600observer
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1611observe

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

Earlier history uncertain.

Lineage

  1. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*serwosreconstructed
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEservus
  3. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEservō‘to keep’
  4. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEobservō‘to watch’
  5. Old Frenchc. 842–1400observer
  6. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600observer
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1611observe

Earliest quotation: 1611, The Holy Bible, London: […] Robert Barker: “Ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread.”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *ser- ‘to guard’

sort, series, stream, hero, desert, insert, assertion, sermon, heresy, exert, concierge, sorcery, sorcerer, heretic, sark, assertive, strudel, sere, 32 more

through Proto-Italic *serwos

serviceable, 7 more

through Latin servus

service, servitude, serf, servile, 8 more

through Latin servō ‘to keep’

conservative, reserve, reservoir, conservatism, conserve, conservator, 4 more

Today it means

verb To notice or view, especially carefully or with attention to detail.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Italic *serwos / observe

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