specto

Latin

Etymology

Frequentative of speciō (“look at”) via its passive participle spectus.

Pronunciation

(Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈspek.toː/, [ˈs̠pɛkt̪oː]
(modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈspek.to/, [ˈspɛkt̪o]

Verb

spectō (present infinitive spectāre, perfect active spectāvī, supine spectātum); first conjugation

to watch, observe, look at, consider
Synonyms: videō, intueor, tueor, vīsō, cōnspicor, īnspectō, observō, servō, speciō, invīsō, cōnspiciō, perlūstrō, īnspiciō, suspiciō
to examine, try, test
Synonyms: periclitor, experior, temptō, probō, explōrō, reputō, cōnsīderō, perpendō, circumspiciō
to aim, strive, or endeavour after
Synonyms: lūctor, ēlabōrō, certō, cōnītor, cōnor, appetō, temptō, affectō, tendō, quaerō, īnsequor, sitiō, studeō, contendō, adnītor, labōrō, pugnō, molior, perīclitor, nītor, ēnītor
- 27 BCE – 25 BCE, Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita I.9:
  ad vim spectare res coepit
  The matters began to strive for violence
to seek, aspire to
Synonyms: requīrō, affectō, cupiō, quaerō, studeō, concupiō, indigeō, inquīrō, conquīrō, petō, expetō, aveō, voveō, circumspiciō, appetō, intendō, quaesō, tendō

Antonyms: āversor, abhorreō

Conjugation

Conjugation of spectō (first conjugation)

indicative		singular			plural
indicative		first	second	third	first	second	third
active	present	spectō	spectās	spectat	spectāmus	spectātis	spectant
	imperfect	spectābam	spectābās	spectābat	spectābāmus	spectābātis	spectābant
	future	spectābō	spectābis	spectābit	spectābimus	spectābitis	spectābunt
	perfect	spectāvī	spectāvistī, spectāstī¹	spectāvit, spectāt¹	spectāvimus, spectāmus¹	spectāvistis, spectāstis¹	spectāvērunt, spectārunt, spectāvēre¹
	pluperfect	spectāveram, spectāram¹	spectāverās, spectārās¹	spectāverat, spectārat¹	spectāverāmus, spectārāmus¹	spectāverātis, spectārātis¹	spectāverant, spectārant¹
	future perfect	spectāverō, spectārō¹	spectāveris, spectāris¹	spectāverit, spectārit¹	spectāverimus, spectārimus¹	spectāveritis, spectāritis¹	spectāverint, spectārint¹
passive	present	spector	spectāris, spectāre	spectātur	spectāmur	spectāminī	spectantur
	imperfect	spectābar	spectābāris, spectābāre	spectābātur	spectābāmur	spectābāminī	spectābantur
	future	spectābor	spectāberis, spectābere	spectābitur	spectābimur	spectābiminī	spectābuntur
	perfect	spectātus + present active indicative of sum
	pluperfect	spectātus + imperfect active indicative of sum
	future perfect	spectātus + future active indicative of sum
subjunctive		singular			plural
subjunctive		first	second	third	first	second	third
active	present	spectem	spectēs	spectet	spectēmus	spectētis	spectent
	imperfect	spectārem	spectārēs	spectāret	spectārēmus	spectārētis	spectārent
	perfect	spectāverim, spectārim¹	spectāverīs, spectārīs¹	spectāverit, spectārit¹	spectāverīmus, spectārīmus¹	spectāverītis, spectārītis¹	spectāverint, spectārint¹
	pluperfect	spectāvissem, spectāssem¹	spectāvissēs, spectāssēs¹	spectāvisset, spectāsset¹	spectāvissēmus, spectāssēmus¹	spectāvissētis, spectāssētis¹	spectāvissent, spectāssent¹
passive	present	specter	spectēris, spectēre	spectētur	spectēmur	spectēminī	spectentur
	imperfect	spectārer	spectārēris, spectārēre	spectārētur	spectārēmur	spectārēminī	spectārentur
	perfect	spectātus + present active subjunctive of sum
	pluperfect	spectātus + imperfect active subjunctive of sum
imperative		singular			plural
imperative		first	second	third	first	second	third
active	present	—	spectā	—	—	spectāte	—
active	future	—	spectātō	spectātō	—	spectātōte	spectantō
passive	present	—	spectāre	—	—	spectāminī	—
passive	future	—	spectātor	spectātor	—	—	spectantor
non-finite forms		active			passive
non-finite forms		present	perfect	future	present	perfect	future
infinitives		spectāre	spectāvisse, spectāsse¹	spectātūrum esse	spectārī	spectātum esse	spectātum īrī
participles		spectāns	—	spectātūrus	—	spectātus	spectandus
verbal nouns		gerund				supine
		genitive	dative	accusative	ablative	accusative	ablative
		spectandī	spectandō	spectandum	spectandō	spectātum	spectātū

¹At least one rare poetic syncopated perfect form is attested.

Derived terms

Related terms

Descendants

→ English: spectate
Friulian: spietâ
Istriot: spattà
Italian: spettare
Ladin: spieter
Portuguese: espectar
Romansch: spetgar
Venetan: spetar

References

“specto”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
“specto”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
specto in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
specto in Enrico Olivetti, editor (2003-2025), Dizionario Latino, Olivetti Media Communication
Carl Meißner, Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎^[1], London: Macmillan and Co.
- to lie to the east, west, south, north: spectare in (vergere ad) orientem (solem), occidentem (solem), ad meridiem, in septentriones
- to be situate to the north-west: spectare inter occasum solis et septentriones
- to study the commonplace: cogitationes in res humiles abicere (De Amic. 9. 32) (Opp. alte spectare, ad altiora tendere, altum, magnificum, divinum suspicere)
- to have a high object in view; to be ambitious: magna sibi proponere or magna spectare
- to have an object in view: spectare aliquid or ad aliquid
- the matter tends towards..., has this object.[1: res eo spectat, ut
- there seems a prospect of armed violence; things look like violence: res spectat ad vim (arma)
- literally: si verba spectas
- a man's policy is aiming at, directed towards..: alicuius in re publica or capessendae rei publicae consilia eo spectant, ut...