Where does “perspective” come from?

perspective (French) comes from Latin perspectīvus, from Latin perspectus, from Latin perspicere, from Latin specere, from Latin specio, from Proto-Italic spekjō, from Proto-Indo-European spéḱyeti, from Proto-Indo-European speḱ- — to see, to look, to observe.

perspective (French): perspective; prospect; feminine singular of...

Definitions

perspective; prospect; feminine singular of...

Ancestry of “perspective”, step by step

perspective traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Latin perspectīvus

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	Latin	perspectīvus	—
2	Latin	perspectus	perceived, discerned; well-known
3	Latin	perspicere	present active infinitive of perspiciō;...
4	Latin	specere	present active infinitive of speciō;...
5	Latin	specio	I observe, watch, look at
6	Proto-Italic	spekjō	to observe, to see
7	Proto-Indo-European	spéḱyeti	to be looking at, to keep looking at
8	Proto-Indo-European	speḱ-	to see, to look, to observe

via Medieval Latin perspectiva

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	Medieval Latin	perspectiva	science of optics
2	Latin	perspiciō	to see through something
3	Latin	speciō	to observe, watch, look at

Words derived from “perspective”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European speḱ- →