Where does “specimen” come from?

specimen (Latin) comes from Latin speciō, from Proto-Italic spekjō, from Proto-Indo-European spéḱyeti, from Proto-Indo-European speḱ- — to see, to look, to observe.

specimen (Latin): mark, token, sign, indication; example, pattern,...

Definitions

  1. mark, token, sign, indication; example, pattern,...

Ancestry of “specimen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinspeciōto observe, watch, look at
2Proto-Italicspekjōto observe, to see
3Proto-Indo-Europeanspéḱyetito be looking at, to keep looking at
4Proto-Indo-Europeanspeḱ-to see, to look, to observe

Words derived from “specimen

Every word from Proto-Indo-European speḱ-
specimen — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer