Etymologically
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respicio

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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

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