Section 1
Looking and Seeing: Words from SPECTO
Let's look at a group of words that all share the Latin root 'SPECTO', meaning 'to look at'. From looking into yourself to looking at future signs, these words cover a wide range of 'seeing'!
Key Words
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| auspicious (adj.) | Showing signs that promise success |
| introspection (n.) | Examination of one's own thoughts and feelings |
| retrospect (n.) | A survey of past times or events |
| specimen (n.) | A single thing that is taken as an example of a whole category |
| specter (n.) | 1. A ghost. 2. A haunting fear of future trouble |
| spectrum (n.) | A wide range of related qualities or ideas |
| speculate (v.) | To form opinions without definite knowledge or evidence |
📝Example Usage
- Winning the lottery was an auspicious sign that the rest of the year would be great.
- In retrospect, I realize I should have studied more for the exam.
- The science museum has a perfect specimen of a Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton.
🧠Memory Trick
- In retrospect, the student's deep introspection allowed him to speculate that the auspicious sign he saw was not a ghostly specter, but a rare insect specimen from a wide spectrum of species.