Observance
/əbˈzɜː.vəns/noun
The act of following a rule, custom, or religious practice.
Did you know?Its Latin ancestor, *observare*, literally meant “to watch over” or “to heed,” so the word carries the ancient idea that paying attention itself can be a kind of sacred duty.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sper-
“to look out, watch, keep an eye on”
Latin
Latin
observāre
“to watch over, notice carefully, heed”
Old French
Old French
observance
“the act of keeping a rule, custom, or religious duty”
Middle English
English
observaunce
“careful keeping of a law, rite, or custom”
Modern English
English
observance
“the act or practice of observing a custom, law, or ceremony”