Salutations Sassy Shes and Salacious Sirs. Welcome to Word Geek Wednesday: Where logic meets language, and curiosity sparks creativity. This week we are using forms of the word ‘observe’ so many times that you’ll swear it’s looking back at you.
Modern Meaning
Observe
verb
ob·serve əb-ˈzərv
observed; observing
transitive verb:
1: to conform one’s action or practice to (something, such as a law, rite, or condition) : comply with
2: to inspect or take note of as an augury, omen, or presage
3: to celebrate or solemnize (something, such as a ceremony or festival) in a customary or accepted way
4a: to watch carefully especially with attention to details or behavior for the purpose of arriving at a judgment
b: to make a scientific observation on or of
5: to come to realize or know especially through consideration of noted facts
6: to utter as a remark
intransitive verb:
1a: to take notice
b: to make observations : watch
2: remark, comment
“Observe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/observe. Accessed 24 Jun. 2025.
Original Meaning
Observe comes to us from the Old French observer/osserver and the Latin observare. It has always had a general meaning of “watching over” something. Whether that’s a person, religious tradition, social tradition, or laws, it just describes the act of ensuring the continuance of something. However, the roots of the word give this a little deeper meaning. “Ob-” from Latin means “in the direction of, in front of,” and “*ser-” means “to protect.” This would give observe an exact meaning of “the act of protecting what is in front of you.”
Observer
Since its early usage, the meaning has mostly remained the same. We still observe traffic laws, the Sabbath, and the 4th of July. However, there is a more passive meaning that has crept in. You can now be an observer by simply witnessing something. So while the observance of something had traditionally been something active, you can be an observer while not leaving the comfort of your own home.
The Observer Effect
If you’ve read other blog posts, you’ll know that I’m not just a Word Geek, but I also geek out over scientific concepts, especially in the field of quantum mechanics. The Observer Effect is a general concept that the act of observing something necessarily changes it. This is illustrated in many parts of quantum theory. Observation is the cornerstone of the collapse of a wave function. Observation isn’t just limited to quantum applications. Do you act differently when you know you are alone at home than when you are out in public where people can see you? The Observer Effect impacts you too. The act of being observed changes you and when you observe someone else, they act different than if you weren’t looking at them.
Obligatory tie-in to my book
It’s called The Observer.
In the Spirit Saga, Observers are a type of spirit that is driven by a desire to protect humanity. Hearkening back to the classic definition, Observers watch over the future looking for changes that indicate someone has changed the present. Some changes are benign, but others can cause mass death and destruction. Then it’s a race against time to figure out what went wrong and try to change it back.
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See you next week for another Word Geek Wednesday. We’ll be exploring the word ‘trickster.’
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