Survey
/sərˈveɪ/noun
To examine or inspect something comprehensively, or a detailed assessment of land, people, or opinions.
Did you know?Survey comes through Anglo-French from Old French *surveoir*, literally meaning to look over or oversee, and its deeper Latin ancestor *supervidēre* carries the same eerie “see from above” energy.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
supervidēre
“to look over, oversee”
Old French
Old French
surveoir
“to oversee, inspect”
Middle English
English
surveyen
“to inspect, examine, or view comprehensively”
15th Century
English
survey
“an act of viewing or inspecting, especially land”
Modern English
English
survey
“a detailed inspection or inquiry”
Explore more surprising origins