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Origin and history of visible

visible(adj.)

mid-14c., "perceptible to sight, capable of being seen," from Old French visable, visible "perceptible" (12c.) and directly from Latin visibilis "that may be seen," from visus, past participle of videre "to see" (see vision). An Old English word for this was eagsyne.

By 1610s as "that may be mentally perceived." By 1950s as "publicly prominent, well-known." Related: Visibly.

also from mid-14c.

Entries linking to visible

vision(n.)

c. 1300, visioun, "that which is seen," specifically "something seen in the imagination or in the supernatural" by one sleeping or waking; from Anglo-French visioun, Old French vision "presence, sight; view, look, appearance; dream, supernatural sight" (12c.), from Latin visionem (nominative visio) "act of seeing, sight, thing seen," noun of action from past-participle stem of videre "to see" (from PIE root *weid- "to see").

Also "a narrative account of a vision" (mid-14c.). By early 15c. as "a visual perception" (of something). The meanings "sense of sight, faculty that perceives by the eye;" also "act of seeing external objects" are recorded by late 15c.

In 20c. use, "distinct, vivid mental conception of a scheme or anticipation." The meaning "statesman-like foresight, political sagacity" is attested from 1926.

imprevisible(adj.)

"that cannot be foreseen," 1855, from assimilated form of in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + previsible (see pre- + visible). Related: Imprevision; imprevisibility.

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invisible
mid-14c., "not perceptible to sight, incapable of being seen," from Old French invisible (13c.), from Latin invisibilis "unseen, not visible," from in- "not" (see in- (1)) + visibilis (see visible). Meaning "kept out of sight" is from 1640s. As a noun, "things invisible," from 16
sightly
1530s, "visible" (a sense now obsolete); 1560s, "pleasing to the sight," from sight (n.) + -ly (1)....Middle English sightlie is attested from mid-15c. but only in the sense "visible;" unsightly is attested in Middle English..."visible, conspicuous; bright, shining; attractive, handsome;" c. 1400 as "keen-sighted;" mid-15c. as "discerning" (compare...German sichtig "visible")....
spectrum
The meaning "visible band showing the successive colors, formed from a beam of light passed through a prism" is recorded...The word was extended to the entire range of radiation wavelengths (including visible light) by 1888....
psychedelic
and used by Osmond in a scientific paper published the next year; from Greek psykhē "mind" (see psyche) + dēloun "make visible..., reveal" (from dēlos "visible, clear," from PIE root *dyeu- "to shine")....
apparent
14c., "indisputable, clearly understood;" c. 1400, "easily seen or perceived," from Old French aparant "evident, obvious, visible...," from Latin apparentem (nominative apparens) "visible, manifest," present participle of apparere "appear, come in sight...
Pleiades
late 14c., Pliades, "visible open star cluster in the constellation Taurus," in Greek mythology they represent the seven...The star cluster is mentioned by Hesiod (pre-700 B.C.E.); only six now are visible to most people; on a clear night a good...
figure
c. 1200, "numeral;" mid-13c., "visible appearance of a person;" late 14c., "visible and tangible form of anything," from...
commission
mid-14c., "authority entrusted to someone, delegated authority or power," from Old French commission and directly from Latin commissionem (nominative commissio) "act of committing," in Medieval Latin "delegation of business," noun of action from past participle stem of committere
rhinoceros
"ungainly quadruped having tough, thick skin and usually one or two horns on the snout," once widespread but now limited to Africa and South Asia, c. 1300, rinoceros, "a rhinoceros," also "a horned beast, sometimes regarded as a species of unicorn" [Middle English Compendium], fr
adjective
"word used to qualify, limit, or define a noun or noun-like part of speech," late 14c., short for noun adjective, from Old French adjectif (14c.), from Latin adjectivum "that is added to (the noun)," neuter of adjectivus "added," past participle of adicere "throw to, fling at, th

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