Etymologically
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dispicio

Etymology and origin of the Latin word dispicio

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
Plautus
Ultimate origin
Latin (speciō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [dɪsˈpɪ.ki.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [disˈpiː.t͡ʃi.o][1]

Forms

dispiciō (present infinitive dispicere, perfect active dispexī, supine dispectum); third (-iō variant) conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from dis- and ⟨speciō⟩ “to look”.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, “to consider, examine”.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to consider, examine, as in Plautus, to see clearly, pick out with the eyes, discern, as in Cicero, and in Vitruvius to look in several directions, look about for.[2] Lewis & Short note that Lucretius uses it of seeing through, opening one's eyes.[5]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of seeing clearly.[2][4]
  • c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius uses it of looking about.[2][4]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To look about for.[2]
  2. To consider, examine.[2]
  3. To see clearly, discern.[2]

Word family

  • dispectiō
  • dispector
  • dispectus
  • dispectō

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
Cite this entry

“Dispicio.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/dispicio. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·