English
speculative
Speculative comes from Middle English speculatyf.
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500speculatyf
- Englishearliest quotation 1907speculative
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500speculatyf
- Englishearliest quotation 1907speculative
Earliest quotation: 1907, Robert William Chambers, New York: “Don't dare laugh at us!" smiled his sister. "I…”
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, retrospective, endoscopic, macroscopic, inconspicuous, spectroscopic, especial, 115 more
through Proto-Italic *spekjō ‘to observe, see’
special, despite, specific, respect, species, aspect, spite, inspector, spectrum, perspective, spice, inspection, expectation, spectacular, specify, specimen, spectacle, inspect, conspicuous, spectator, retrospect, expectant, specter, specious, circumspect, 30 more
Today it means
adj Characterized by speculation; based on guessing, unfounded opinions, or extrapolation.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Middle English speculatyf / speculative