Etymograph

English

perspective

Perspective comes from Medieval Latin perspectiva ‘science of optics’, from Latin perspectus, from perspiciō ‘to look through’, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- ‘to see’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*speḱ-‘to see’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*spéḱyeti‘to be looking at’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*spekjō‘to observe’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEspeciōas specere‘to look at’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEperspiciō‘to look through, inspect’
  6. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEperspectus‘perceived’
  7. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEperspectivus‘of sight’
  8. Medieval Latinc. 600–1500perspectiva‘science of optics’feminine of perspectivus
  9. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500perspective
  10. Englishearliest quotation 1625perspective

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*speḱ-‘to see’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*spéḱyeti‘to be looking at’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*spekjō‘to observe’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEspeciōas specere‘to look at’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEperspiciō‘to look through, inspect’
  6. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEperspectus‘perceived’
  7. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEperspectivus‘of sight’
  8. Medieval Latinc. 600–1500perspectiva‘science of optics’feminine of perspectivus
  9. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500perspective
  10. Englishearliest quotation 1625perspective

Earliest quotation: 1625, Francis Bacon, Of Seeming Wise: “perspective glasses”.

The story

From Middle English perspective, perspectif, attested since 1381, from Old French or Middle French, from the first word of the Medieval Latin perspectiva ars (‘science of optics’), the feminine of Latin perspectivus (‘of sight, optical’), from perspectus, the past participle of perspicere (‘to inspect, look through’), itself from per- (‘through’) + specere (‘to look at’); the noun sense was influenced or mediated by Italian prospettiva, from prospetto (‘prospect’).

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- ‘to see, to look, to observe’

spy, suspicion, microscope, espionage, skeptic, kaleidoscope, gyroscope, espy, 113 more

through Proto-Indo-European *spéḱyeti ‘to be looking at, to keep looking at’

scope, skeptical, endoscopic, macroscopic, spectroscopic, 111 more

through Proto-Italic *spekjō ‘to observe, see’

speculation, speculate, speculative, retrospective, inconspicuous, especial, specular, 23 more

through Latin speciō ‘to look at’

special, despite, specific, respect, species, spite, spice, aspect, inspector, spectrum, spectacular, expectation, inspection, specify, specimen, conspicuous, spectacle, inspect, spectator, retrospect, expectant, specter, speculator, specious, circumspect, 27 more

Today it means

noun A view, vista or outlook.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- / perspective

Shirt and support for this word