Etymology Explorer › Latin

Where does “spectrum” come from?

spectrum (Latin) comes from Ancient Greek σκοπέω, from Ancient Greek σκοπός, from Ancient Greek σκέπτομαι, from Proto-Hellenic sképťomai, from Proto-Indo-European spéḱyeti, from Proto-Indo-European speḱ- — to see, to look, to observe.

spectrum (Latin): appearance, image; apparition, specter

Definitions

  1. appearance, image; apparition, specter

Ancestry of “spectrum”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Ancient GreekσκοπέωI look, look at, behold; I examine, inspect; 413...
2Ancient Greekσκοπόςwatcher, lookout; protector, guardian; spy, scout
3Ancient GreekσκέπτομαιI look at, examine; I examine, consider, think
4Proto-Hellenicsképťomaito look at
5Proto-Indo-Europeanspéḱyetito be looking at, to keep looking at
6Proto-Indo-Europeanspeḱ-to see, to look, to observe

Words derived from “spectrum”

  • spectrum
  • spectroscopy
  • spectrometry
  • spectre
  • spectrometer
  • specter
  • spectroscope
  • spectrophotometer
  • spectrograph
  • spectrogram
  • spectrophotometry
  • spectrophotometric
  • spectrophotometrically
  • microspectroscopy
  • spectroscopist
  • bispectrum
  • spectroradiometer
  • spectrography
  • spectrochemical
  • spectroelectrochemical
  • spectroelectrochemistry
  • spectropolarimeter
  • spectrofluorometry
  • microspectrophotometry
Every word from Proto-Indo-European speḱ- →