English
perspicil
Perspicil comes from Latin perspiciō ‘to look through’, from Proto-Italic *spekjō ‘to observe, see’, 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 look through’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEperspicilla
- Englishearliest quotation a. 1649perspicil
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 look through’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEperspicilla
- Englishearliest quotation a. 1649perspicil
Earliest quotation: a. 1649, Richard Crashaw: “Chronology (Sharp-sighted as the eagle's eye, that can Out-stare…”
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, inconspicuous, especial, specular, 22 more
through Latin speciō ‘observe, watch, look at’
special, respect, despite, specific, species, aspect, perspective, inspector, spectrum, inspection, expectation, spectacular, spite, spice, spectacle, inspect, specify, specimen, retrospective, spectator, retrospect, conspicuous, expectant, specter, speculator, circumspect, specious, 25 more
Today it means
noun An optical glass; a telescope.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- / perspicil