inspectio

Forms

īnspectiō f (genitive īnspectiōnis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from īnspiciō “to look into” with the suffix -tiō.^[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Columella (1st century AD), who says that at first sight a field shows neither its faults nor its merits.^[4][5]

Semantic evolution

It meant looking at or into, as in Apuleius, a visual examination, inspection, and a theoretical investigation, as in Seneca.^[2] Quintilian and Pliny the Younger also use it, and Lewis & Short note it is post-Augustan.^[6][5]

In Medieval Latin it was used in the Low Countries for the inspection of dikes.^[7] British Medieval Latin used it for observation, the reading of a book, and divination.^[8] Through Old French inspeccion it gave English inspection in the late 14th century.^[3]

Timeline

• 1st century AD – Columella uses it.^[4][5]
• 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it of inspection.^[2][4]
• late 14th century – English inspection is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. A looking at; inspection.^[2]
2. An investigation.^[2]

Related words

• īnspiciō
• īnspector
• English inspection

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
8. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press