Observe Means Watch, Remark, and Keep a Rule
To observe is to watch carefully, to say something, or to keep a custom. One Latin verb about guarding covers all three.
To observe is to watch attentively — but the same verb also means to make a remark and to keep a rule or a holiday. Latin *observare* meant to watch over and guard, and each English sense keeps part of that: watching, noting what you saw, and keeping faith with something.
- To watch carefully. *Observe the reaction.*
- To notice. *He observed a change in her tone.*
- To remark. *It is late, she observed.*
- To keep a rule or custom. *Observe the speed limit.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | observe | Observe closely. |
| Past | observed | As observed above. |
| Noun | observation | A sharp observation. |
| Person | observer | An impartial observer. |
| Noun | observatory | A mountain observatory. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Students observed the experiment from the gallery.Watching.
- The country observes a two-minute silence.Keeping a custom.
- It is only an observation, not a criticism.A remark.
Observation words
- Observe — watch carefully and note
- Notice — become aware of
- Witness — see something happen, often significant
- Monitor — watch continuously over time
- Surveillance — sustained watching, usually official
From Latin *observare*, to watch over, from *ob*, over, and *servare*, to keep or guard — the same *servare* as in *preserve*, *conserve* and *reservoir*.
Observance or observation?
Observance is keeping a rule or custom. Observation is watching or a remark. Religious observance, scientific observation.
Can *observe* introduce speech?
Yes, though it sounds formal. He observed that the door was open is standard written English.