English
specter
Specter comes from Latin spectrum ‘appearance, apparition’, from specio ‘look at, behold’, 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 CEspecio‘look at, behold’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEspectrum‘appearance, apparition’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600spectre
- Englishearliest quotation 1605specter
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
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 CEspecio‘look at, behold’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEspectrum‘appearance, apparition’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600spectre
- Englishearliest quotation 1605specter
Earliest quotation: 1605, Peter de Loier [i.e., Pierre Le Loyer]: “Nevertheleſſe, they which ſhould ſee thoſe Iſles thus to…”
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, endoscopic, macroscopic, 116 more
through Proto-Italic *spekjō ‘to observe, see’
speculation, speculative, speculate, inconspicuous, especial, specular, 27 more
through Latin specio ‘look at, behold’
special, despite, specific, species, respect, perspective, spice, inspector, spite, expectation, aspect, inspection, conspicuous, specify, specimen, retrospective, inspect, retrospect, expectant, speculator, specious, circumspect, 30 more
Today it means
noun A ghostly apparition, a phantom.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- / specter