Etymology

spectroscopy

spec·tros·co·py
S1P3E1C3T1R1O1S1C3O1P3Y4

Today it means: The scientific study of spectra. Full definition →

Ancient Greek σκοπέω (skopéō) ← Proto-Hellenic *sképt͏̌omai ← Proto-Indo-European *spéḱyeti
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*speḱ-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*spéḱyeti
  3. Proto-Italic*spekjō
  4. Latinspeciō
  5. Latinspectrum
  6. Englishspectrum
  7. Englishspectro-
  8. Proto-Indo-European*spéḱyeti
  9. Proto-Hellenic*sképt͏̌omai
  10. Ancient Greekσκέπτομαι (sképtomai)
  11. Ancient Greekσκοπός (skopós)
  12. Ancient Greekσκοπέω (skopéō)
  13. English todayspectroscopy

From spectro- + -scopy.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.