Contemplaris

Contemplaris is the second-person singular present indicative form of the Latin deponent verb contemplari, meaning you contemplate, behold, or observe. As a deponent, its forms look passive, but the meaning is active. The infinitive is contemplari, and the principal parts are contemplor, contemplari, contemplatus sum. Contemplari belongs to the first conjugation of Latin verbs, and its present tense forms use the familiar passive endings with active meaning, such as contemplor, contemplaris, contemplatur, contemplamur, contemplamini, contemplantur.

In usage, contemplari expresses the act of looking at something with attention or reflecting upon it. It commonly takes a direct object in the accusative to indicate what is being contemplated, for example, contemplaris caelum or contemplaris stellas, “you contemplate the sky” or “you contemplate the stars.” It can also carry more abstract senses of consideration or scrutiny, depending on context, often in literary or philosophical writing.

Grammatically, contemplari is a deponent verb, so its passive forms functionally translate as active. This means translations render it as “you contemplate” rather than “you are contemplated.” The verb can appear in various tenses derived from its principal parts, including imperfect contemplabaris for “you were contemplating” or future contemplaberis for “you will contemplate.”

Etymology traces contemplari to the Latin noun contemplatio, related to looking at or observing intently, and ultimately links to the English word contemplate through the umbrella of Latin and its descendants. In classical Latin texts, contemplari and its forms are used to describe deliberate attention, vision, or reflection.