see
To perceive with the eyes; to observe visually.
Etymology
From Old English sēon, from Proto-Germanic *sehwaną, from PIE *sekʷ- "to see, to perceive." The broader PIE root for visual perception, *weyd- "to see, to know," gives a different set of English words: "wit," "wise," "wisdom," "witness," "guide," "video," "vision," "visit," "advise," "evidence," and "idea." English "see" descends from *sekʷ-, not *weyd-.
The Journey: *sekʷ- → see
*weyd-
vidēre
viser
vision, video
Cognates Across Languages
These words in other languages descend from the same PIE root *sekʷ-. They are not borrowings but independent inheritances from a common ancestor.
| Language | Word |
|---|---|
| Greek | ideîn (to see), eîdos (form) |
| Latin | vidēre |
| Russian | vídetʹ |
| Sanskrit | véda (I know) |
| Lithuanian | pavydėti (to envy) |
| Old English | witan (to know) |
Did You Know?
In PIE, seeing and knowing were closely linked — *weyd- meant both "to see" and "to know." This is why "wit" (knowledge), "wise," and "witness" share a root with Latin vidēre "to see" (→ video, vision). But English "see" itself comes from a different root, *sekʷ-. The Sanskrit Vedas are literally "things seen/known" from *weyd-.