respicere

Respicere is a Latin verb meaning to look back at, regard, or look to, and by extension to respect or esteem. It belongs to the third conjugation of the -io class. The principal parts are respicio, respicere, respexi, respectum. Present active indicative forms are respicio, respicis, respicit, respicimus, respicitis, respiciunt. Imperfect forms are respiciebam, respiciebas, respiciebat, respiciebamus, respiciebatis, respiciebant. Perfect active forms are respexi, respexisti, respexit, respeximus, respexistis, respexerunt. The passive voice exists as well, though it is less common; the perfect passive participle is respectus and the supine is respectum.

Etymology and related terms: Respiciere is formed from the prefix re- meaning back and specere “to look.” It is closely related to conspicere (to catch sight of) and to other terms built from specere. The noun respectus, and the English word respect, derive from this verb family.

Usage and sense: In classical Latin, respicere typically means to look back at something or to regard something with attention, memory, or consideration. It can express literal looking backward as well as figurative attention, esteem, or consideration of someone or something. It is used transitively with a direct object in the accusative.

Variants and cognates: The verb yields common derivatives such as the noun respectus and adjectives formed from the participle. It is distinguished from conspicere, which emphasizes mere sight, whereas respicere adds the sense of regard, regardfulness, or reconsideration.