Surveillance
/sɜːrˈveɪ.ləns/noun
Close observation, especially of a person or group, often for security or intelligence purposes.
Did you know?Surveillance comes from French roots meaning “to watch from above,” and its older sibling *veille* also lives in words tied to waking, vigilance, and keeping watch.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
super- + vigilare
“to keep watch over; literally, to watch from above”
Old French
Old French
surveiller
“to watch over, oversee”
Middle French
French
surveillance
“close watching, oversight”
18th Century
English
surveillance
“oversight or supervision”
Modern English
English
surveillance
“close monitoring, especially for security or intelligence”