English
spectro-
Spectro- comes from Latin spectrum ‘apparition, specter, phantom’, from speciō ‘to observe, watch, look at’, 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 CEspectrum‘apparition, specter, phantom’
- English1500–presentsame form
- Englishtodayspectro-
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 CEspectrum‘apparition, specter, phantom’
- English1500–presentsame form
- Englishtodayspectro-
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- ‘to see, to look, to observe’
spy, suspicion, espionage, microscope, skeptic, kaleidoscope, gyroscope, espy, 119 more
through Proto-Indo-European *spéḱyeti ‘to be looking at, to keep looking at’
scope, skeptical, endoscopic, macroscopic, 117 more
through Proto-Italic *spekjō ‘to observe, see’
speculation, speculative, speculate, inconspicuous, especial, specular, 28 more
through Latin speciō ‘to observe, watch, look at’
despite, special, specific, species, respect, perspective, spite, spice, aspect, inspector, expectation, inspection, specify, conspicuous, specimen, inspect, retrospective, expectant, retrospect, speculator, specious, circumspect, 31 more
Today it means
prefix optical spectra.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- / spectro-