Etymologically
Log in

aspectabilis

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 23:56. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [as.pɛkˈtaː.bɪ.lɪs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [as.pekˈtaː.bi.lis][1]

Forms

aspectābilis (neuter aspectābile); third-declension two-termination adjective[1] Also spelled adspectābilis.[2]

Etymology

It is from Latin aspectō (“to look at”) + -bilis.[3][1][4] De Vaan lists ⟨aspectāre⟩ “to look at” among the derivatives of speciō (“to look”), which he traces to Proto-Italic *spekje/o-, from Proto-Indo-European *speḱ-ye/o- (“to look”).[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its earliest source is Cicero's translation of Plato's Timaeus.[3][2][4] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant able to be seen, visible, as in Cicero's Timaeus, and in Apuleius, in the comparative aspectābilior, worth seeing, pleasing to look at.[3][2][6] English aspectable is from it.[1]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of the visible world.[3][4]
  • c. 125–175 AD – Apuleius uses it of beauty.[3][4]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Able to be seen, visible.[3]
  2. Worth seeing, pleasing to look at.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.