Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “especialness” come from?

especialness (English) comes from English especial, from Middle English especial, from Old French especial, from Latin specialis, from Latin speciēs, from Latin speciō, from Proto-Italic spekjō, from Proto-Indo-European spéḱyeti — to see, to look, to observe.

especialness (English): The state or condition of being especial

Definitions

  1. The state or condition of being especial

Ancestry of “especialness”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishespecialExceptional in importance or significance;...
2Middle Englishespecial—
3Old Frenchespecialspecial; powerful; mighty
4Latinspecialisspecific
5Latinspeciēs—
6Latinspeciō—
7Proto-Italicspekjōto observe, to see
8Proto-Indo-Europeanspéḱyetito be looking at, to keep looking at
9Proto-Indo-Europeanspeḱ-to see, to look, to observe
Every word from Proto-Indo-European speḱ- →