English
specular
Specular comes from Latin speculum ‘mirror, looking-glass’, from speculor ‘to watch, observe’, 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
- Old Latinc. 700–75 BCEspeciō
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEspecula‘a watchtower’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEspeculoras speculārī‘to watch, observe’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEspeculum‘mirror, looking-glass’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEspeculāris
- Englishearliest quotation 1671specular
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
- Old Latinc. 700–75 BCEspeciō
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEspecula‘a watchtower’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEspeculoras speculārī‘to watch, observe’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEspeculum‘mirror, looking-glass’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEspeculāris
- Englishearliest quotation 1671specular
Earliest quotation: 1671, John Milton, The Fourth Book: “Look once more, e're we leave this specular mount.”
The story
Some later senses via French spéculaire.
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, inconspicuous, spectroscopic, especial, 115 more
through Proto-Italic *spekjō ‘to observe, see’
despite, special, specific, respect, species, perspective, spite, aspect, inspector, spectrum, spice, expectation, inspection, specify, specimen, spectacle, retrospective, inspect, spectacular, conspicuous, spectator, retrospect, expectant, specter, specious, circumspect, 29 more
Today it means
adj Pertaining to mirrors; mirror-like, reflective.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- / specular