English → Latin
“contemplate” in Latin
spectōto watch, observe, look at, consider; to examine, try, test; to aim, strive, or endeavour aftercontemplorto observe, note or notice; to gaze at or regard; to contemplatecōnsīderōto examine, look at or inspect, survey; to consider, reflect, contemplate, meditateintueorto look at, upon or towards; to consider, regard, observe, give attention to, contemplate; to regard with admiration, adcontueorto look or gaze upon, behold, see, view, survey; to ponder, weigh, contemplate; to preserve (carefully), take care of, sperlūstrōto go over, wander, traverse; to visit, see, search, explore; to consider, examine, observe, survey, look atvīsōto look at, look into, stare at, view; to go to see, visit, call uponinvīsōto visit; to look after or watch overperspiciōto see through something; to perceive or discern clearly
The English word contemplate itself goes back to Latin templum, through contemplātus.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
contemplate
PROP., spectare: contemplari (only of contemplating natural objects or works of art): considerare (to examine or consider with reference to forming a choice or decision: when applied to beauties of nature or art, considerare is an act of the understanding, contemplari of the feeling or imagination; ☞ Cic., Off., 1, 41, 147; Gell., 2, 21): intueri (to fix one’s eyes upon). (the words are found in this connection and order), intueri et contemplari: contueri (to contemplate with fixed attention): oculis collustrare or perlustrare (to survey carefully): visere: invisere (to take a close view; especially of things that interest us, Görenz, Cic., Fin., 5, 1, 1, p. 531): perspicere (to look through and through; examine carefully). (the words are found in this connection and order), contueri perspicereque. To contemplate eagerly, intently, etc., intentis oculis contemplari.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for contemplate?
- The usual Latin words for “contemplate” are spectō, contemplor, cōnsīderō; also intueor, contueor, perlūstrō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.