perspective

The story

1. Latin · derived fromperspectivus“of sight, optical”
2. Medieval Latin · derived fromperspectiva ars“science of optics”
3. Middle English · inherited fromperspective, perspectif
4. English todayperspective

From Middle English perspective, perspectif, attested since 1381, from Old French or Middle French, from the first word of the Medieval Latin perspectiva ars (“science of optics”), the feminine of Latin perspectivus (“of sight, optical”), from perspectus, the past participle of perspicere (“to inspect, look through”), itself from per- (“through”) + specere (“to look at”); the noun sense was influenced or mediated by Italian prospettiva, from prospetto (“prospect”).