inspect

Where does the word "inspect" come from? It comes from Latin inspicere, and was adopted directly into English (1600s).

Inspect’s story begins in Latin: inspicere meant “to look into.” To look into, from in- (into) and specere (to look). It reached English by 1600s as inspect. Settled as the English word for examining something closely. Today, inspect means to examine something closely, especially for flaws or quality.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient inspicere "to look into", to look into, from in- (into) and specere (to look).
2. Stage 2 · English · 1600s inspect "to examine something closely", settled as the English word for examining something closely.