English
spectaculum
Spectaculum comes from Latin spectāculum ‘show, spectacle’, from spectō ‘to watch, observe, look at, 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‘to observe, watch, look at’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEspectō‘to watch, observe, look at, see’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEspectāculum‘show, spectacle’
- Englishearliest quotation 1816spectaculum
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 observe, watch, look at’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEspectō‘to watch, observe, look at, see’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEspectāculum‘show, spectacle’
- Englishearliest quotation 1816spectaculum
Earliest quotation: 1816, Observations: “A dream put Aristotle out of breath, / A…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- ‘to see, to look, to observe’
spy, suspicion, microscope, espionage, skeptic, kaleidoscope, gyroscope, espy, 117 more
through Proto-Indo-European *spéḱyeti ‘to be looking at, to keep looking at’
scope, skeptical, endoscopic, macroscopic, spectroscopic, 115 more
through Proto-Italic *spekjō ‘to observe, see’
speculation, speculative, speculate, inconspicuous, especial, specular, 27 more
through Latin speciō ‘to observe, watch, look at’
special, despite, specific, respect, species, perspective, spite, aspect, spice, inspector, inspection, specify, specimen, conspicuous, retrospective, inspect, retrospect, specious, speculator, 30 more
through Latin spectō ‘to watch, observe, look at, see’
Today it means
noun A spectacle.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- / spectaculum