First Known Use: circa 1586
Dictionary
spectator
noun spec·ta·tor \ˈspek-ˌtā-tər, spek-ˈ\
: a person who watches an event, show, game, activity, etc., often as part of an audience
Full Definition of SPECTATOR
1
: one who looks on or watches
2
: a woman's pump usually having contrasting colors with a perforated design at the toe and sometimes heel
— spectator adjective
— spec·ta·tor·i·al \ˌspek-tə-ˈtȯr-ē-əl\ adjective
— spec·ta·tor·ship \ˈspek-ˌtā-tər-ˌship, spek-ˈ\ noun
See spectator defined for English-language learners
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Origin of SPECTATOR
Latin, from spectare to watch
Other Clothing Terms
Rhymes with SPECTATOR
aerator, castrator, collator, Chubb Crater, Bay Stater, creator, curator, debater, deflator, dictator, dilator, donator, downstater, dumbwaiter, equator, first-rater, glossator, headwaiter, ice-skater, levator, locator, mandator, migrator, narrator, pond skater, pronator, pulsator, red-baiter, relater, speed skater, tailgater, testator, theater, third-rater, titrator, translator, upstater, vibrator
SPECTATOR Defined for Kids
spectator
noun spec·ta·tor \ˈspek-ˌtā-tər\
Definition of SPECTATOR for Kids
: a person who looks on (as at a sports event)
Word Root of SPECTATOR
The Latin word specere, meaning “to look” or “to look at,” gives us the roots spec, spic, and spect. Words from the Latin specere have something to do with looking or watching. A spectator is a person who watches something, such as a sports event. Anything conspicuous is easy to see. To inspect is to look very closely at all parts of something. A specimen, or sample, is one example or one part that can show what the rest look like.
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