Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “perspicuity” come from?

Perspicuity comes from Latin perspicuitas, derived from perspicuus meaning transparent or clear, combining the prefix per- with the Proto-Indo-European root speḱ- meaning to see or observe.

perspicuity (English): Clarity, lucidity, especially in expression; the...

Definitions

  1. Clarity, lucidity, especially in expression; the...

Ancestry of “perspicuity”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Classical Latinperspicuitās—
2Latinperspicuustransparent, clear; evident, manifest,...
3Latinperspiciō—
4Latinspeciō—
5Proto-Italicspekjōto observe, to see
6Proto-Indo-Europeanspéḱyetito be looking at, to keep looking at
7Proto-Indo-Europeanspeḱ-to see, to look, to observe

Words derived from “perspicuity”

  • imperspicuity
Every word from Proto-Indo-European speḱ- →