English
speculation
Speculation comes from Latin speculor ‘to watch, to observe’, from Proto-Indo-European *spéḱyeti ‘to be looking at, to keep looking at’, and ultimately from *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
- Old Latinc. 700–75 BCEspeciō
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEspecula‘a watchtower’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEspeculor‘to watch, to observe’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEspeculātiō
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400speculation
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500speculacioun
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1606speculation
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 CEspeculor‘to watch, to observe’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEspeculātiō
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400speculation
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500speculacioun
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1606speculation
Earliest quotation: c. 1606, William Shakespeare, The Tragedie of Macbeth: “Thou hast no speculation in those eyes.”
Formed from speculate + -ion
Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- ‘to see, to look, to observe’
…
Old Latin speciō
Latin specula ‘a watchtower’
Latin speculor ‘to watch, observe, examine, spy’
Latin speculātus ‘having watched, having observed’
English speculate
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’
special, despite, specific, respect, species, perspective, aspect, spite, inspector, spectrum, spice, inspection, spectacular, specify, specimen, expectation, spectacle, inspect, retrospective, conspicuous, spectator, retrospect, expectant, specter, circumspect, specious, 29 more
Today it means
noun The process or act of thinking or meditating on a subject.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- / speculation