English
perspicable
Perspicable comes from Latin perspiciō ‘to see through something’, from speciō ‘observe, watch, 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‘observe, watch, look at’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEperspiciōas perspicere‘to see through something’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEperspicabilis
- Englishearliest quotation 1634perspicable
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-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*spekjō‘to observe, see’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEspeciō‘observe, watch, look at’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEperspiciōas perspicere‘to see through something’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEperspicabilis
- Englishearliest quotation 1634perspicable
Earliest quotation: 1634, Thomas Herbert, A Relation of Some Yeares Trauaile: “I fancied that I saw the Fire and a…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- ‘to see, to look, to observe’
spy, suspicion, microscope, espionage, skeptic, kaleidoscope, gyroscope, espy, 112 more
through Proto-Indo-European *spéḱyeti ‘to be looking at, to keep looking at’
scope, skeptical, macroscopic, endoscopic, spectroscopic, 110 more
through Proto-Italic *spekjō ‘to observe, see’
speculation, speculative, speculate, especial, inconspicuous, specular, 22 more
through Latin speciō ‘observe, watch, look at’
special, respect, despite, specific, species, aspect, perspective, inspector, spectrum, inspection, expectation, spectacular, spite, specify, specimen, spice, inspect, retrospective, spectator, spectacle, retrospect, conspicuous, expectant, specter, circumspect, specious, speculator, 25 more
Today it means
adj discernible
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- / perspicable