Where does “perspicuous” come from?
Perspicuous comes from Latin perspicuus, composed of the prefix per- and the root speḱ-, meaning "to look or observe," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European speḱ-.
perspicuous (English): Clearly expressed, easy to understand; lucid; Of...
Definitions
- Clearly expressed, easy to understand; lucid; Of...
Ancestry of “perspicuous”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | perspicuus | transparent, clear; evident, manifest,... |
| 2 | Latin | perspiciō | to see through something |
| 3 | Latin | speciō | to observe, watch, look at |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | spekjō | to observe, to see |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | spéḱyeti | to be looking at, to keep looking at |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | speḱ- | to see, to look, to observe |