Vide
/ˈviːdeɪ/noun
A Latin imperative meaning “see” or “look.”
Did you know?In scholarly writing, *vide* became a citation command meaning “see” this source, turning a simple Latin imperative into a tool for directing attention across centuries.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Latin
Latin
vidē
“see! (singular imperative of *vidēre*)”
Proto-Italic
PI
*widēō
“to see, perceive”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*weyd-
“to see, know”
Old French / Medieval Scholarly Latin
Latin
vide
“look; see (used in citations and references)”
Modern English
English
vide
“a citation marker meaning “see” or “refer to””