English
speciosity
Speciosity comes from Latin speciōsitās ‘beauty’, from speciēs ‘appearance’, 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‘to see’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEspeciēs‘appearance’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEspeciōsitās‘beauty’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500speciouste‘attractiveness’
- Englishearliest quotation 1843speciosity
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‘to see’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEspeciēs‘appearance’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEspeciōsitās‘beauty’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500speciouste‘attractiveness’
- Englishearliest quotation 1843speciosity
Earliest quotation: 1843, Thomas Carlyle, ch. 8, The Electon: “Till deep misery, if nothing softer will, have driven…”
Equivalent to specious + -osity
Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- ‘to see, to look, to observe’
…
Latin speciēs ‘appearance’
Latin speciōsus ‘good-looking’
Anglo-Norman specious
Middle English speciose
English specious
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- ‘to see, to look, to observe’
spy, suspicion, microscope, espionage, skeptic, kaleidoscope, gyroscope, espy, 118 more
through Proto-Indo-European *spéḱyeti ‘to be looking at, to keep looking at’
scope, skeptical, macroscopic, endoscopic, spectroscopic, 116 more
through Proto-Italic *spekjō ‘to observe, see’
speculation, speculative, speculate, inconspicuous, specular, 28 more
through Latin speciō ‘to see’
despite, respect, perspective, aspect, inspector, spectrum, spectacular, spite, expectation, inspection, conspicuous, spectacle, inspect, spectator, retrospective, retrospect, expectant, specter, speculator, circumspect, 30 more
through Latin speciēs ‘appearance’
Today it means
noun The state or quality of being specious; speciousness.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- / speciosity