respicio

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [rɛsˈpɪ.ki.oː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [resˈpiː.t͡ʃi.o]^[1]

Forms

respiciō (present infinitive respicere, perfect active respexī, supine respectum); third (-iō variant) conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is from re- (“back”) and speciō “to look”.^[2][1][3] Plautus has an old subjunctive ⟨respexis⟩.^[2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citations are from Plautus, of looking back and of having regard for someone.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to look back, look round, as in Plautus and Cicero, and to turn one's gaze on, see behind one.^[2][6] It meant to look to someone for help, as in Cicero, of places to face a direction, and to look back on the past, review.^[2] It meant to turn one's thoughts to, take notice of, have regard for, as in Terence, and of gods to look favourably on, Fortūna Respiciēns was a cult title.^[2] Of things it meant to relate to, concern, as in Caesar.^[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to look at, consider, respect, observe.^[7] It survives in Italian rispetto and Spanish respeto.^[1] English respect comes from its noun respectus in the late 14th century, and through Old French respit it also gave English respite in the mid-13th century.^[3]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of looking back.^[2][5]
• 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of having regard for someone.^[2][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of looking to someone for help.^[2][5]
• late 14th century – English respect is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Verb

1. To look back, look round.^[2]
2. To look at; to notice behind one.^[2]
3. To look to (for help).^[2]
4. (of places) To face.^[2]
5. To look back on, review.^[2]
6. To take notice of, heed; to have regard for, respect.^[2]
7. To relate to, concern.^[2]

Word family

• respectiō
• respectus
• respectō
• respiciēns

Related words

• aspiciō
• circumspiciō
• cōnspiciō
• dēspiciō
• dīspiciō
• īnspiciō
• perspiciō
• praespiciō
• prōspiciō
• speciō
• English respect
• English respite

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q 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. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson