Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “scope” come from?

Scope comes from Latin scopa, which derives from Proto-Indo-European skap-, traced through Ancient Greek σκοπός and σκέπτομαι back to the Proto-Indo-European root speḱ-.

scope (English): The breadth, depth or reach of a subject; a...

Definitions

  1. The breadth, depth or reach of a subject; a...

Ancestry of “scope”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Italianscopoaim, end, goal; first-person singular present...
2Latinscopusa target
3Ancient Greekσκοπόςwatcher, lookout; protector, guardian; spy, scout
4Ancient GreekσκέπτομαιI look at, examine; I examine, consider, think
5Proto-Hellenicsképťomaito look at
6Proto-Indo-Europeanspéḱyetito be looking at, to keep looking at
7Proto-Indo-Europeanspeḱ-to see, to look, to observe

Words derived from “scope”

  • scoping
  • cystoscope
  • superscope
  • scopy
  • scopal
  • zoopraxiscope
  • riflescope
  • necroscopy
  • descope
  • scopeless
  • scopey
  • sniperscope
  • rescope
  • scoper
  • scopie
  • snooperscope
  • subscope
  • polyscope
  • zoogyroscope
  • quickscope
  • laraingeascóp
  • tais-scópacht
  • tais-scóp
  • tais-scópach
Every word from Proto-Indo-European speḱ- →