English
perspicacious
Perspicacious comes from Late Latin perspicācitās ‘discernment’, from Latin perspicax ‘sharp-sighted’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- ‘to see, to look, to observe’.
- 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‘look at’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEperspiciō‘look through’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEperspicax‘sharp-sighted’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEperspicācitās‘discernment’
- Englishearliest quotation 1982perspicacious
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‘look at’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEperspiciō‘look through’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEperspicax‘sharp-sighted’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEperspicācitās‘discernment’
- Englishearliest quotation 1982perspicacious
Earliest quotation: 1982, David K. Jose, Habeas Corpus: “As a gay prisoner my incarceration has given me…”
first attested First attested 1548, from Late Latin perspicācitās (“discernment”), from Latin perspicax (“sharp-sighted”), from perspiciō (“look through”), from per- (“through”) + speciō (“look at”) (as stated in the etymology)
The story
First attested 1548, from Late Latin perspicācitās (‘discernment’), from Latin perspicax (‘sharp-sighted’), from perspiciō (‘look through’), from per- (‘through’) + speciō (‘look at’).
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- ‘to see, to look, to observe’
spy, microscope, suspicion, espionage, skeptic, kaleidoscope, gyroscope, espy, 112 more
through Proto-Indo-European *spéḱyeti ‘to be looking at, to keep looking at’
scope, skeptical, endoscopic, spectroscopic, macroscopic, 110 more
through Proto-Italic *spekjō ‘to observe, see’
speculation, speculative, speculate, especial, inconspicuous, specular, 22 more
through Latin speciō ‘look at’
special, respect, despite, specific, species, aspect, perspective, inspector, spectrum, inspection, expectation, spite, spectacular, spice, specify, inspect, specimen, retrospective, spectator, spectacle, retrospect, expectant, conspicuous, specter, speculator, circumspect, specious, 25 more
Today it means
adj Of acute discernment; having keen insight; mentally perceptive.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- / perspicacious