Where does “observing” come from?
Observe comes from Middle French observer, from Latin observare meaning to watch or guard, from Latin servo meaning to keep or protect, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ser- meaning to protect.
observing (English): present participle of observe; observation
Definitions
- present participle of observe; observation
Ancestry of “observing”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | observe | To notice or view, especially carefully or with... |
| 2 | Middle French | observer | — |
| 3 | Latin | observo | I observe, watch; I guard, keep watch over; I... |
| 4 | Latin | ob- | towards; against |
| 5 | Latin | obolus | obolus (Greek coin) |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | ὀβολός | obol, obolus, used at Athens as both a weight and... |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | ὀβελός | a spit, rod; a horizontal line |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | βέλος | missile, arrow, dart; weapon; something quickly... |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷélHos | — |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷelH- | to throw, reach, pierce; to hit by throwing |