noun · verb · 14 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/əbˈzɜːv/
Received-Pronunciation, rare:/ɒbˈzɜːv/
Canada, General-American:əb-zûrvʹ
Canada, General-American:/əbˈzɝv/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɜː(ɹ)v
CMU ARPABET:AH0 B Z ER1 V
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
An observation (remark, comment or judgement).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To notice or view, especially carefully or with attention to detail.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
From this vantage point we can observe the behavior of the animals in their natural habitat.
She got up before dawn to observe the lunar eclipse.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To follow or obey the custom, practice, or rules (especially of a religion).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
Please observe all posted speed limits.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
To take note of and celebrate (a holiday or similar occurrence), to keep; to follow (a type of time or calendar reckoning).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
To comment on something; to make an observation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
The senator observed that the bill would be detrimental to his constituents.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
verb
Meaning 6
stick to correctly or closely
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
The pianist kept time with the metronome
keep count
I cannot keep track of all my employees
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: keep, maintain
Antonyms: none provided
7
verb
Meaning 7
make mention of
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
She observed that his presentation took up too much time
They noted that it was a fine day to go sailing
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: note, mention, remark
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: state, say, tell
Narrower terms: comment, notice, remark, point out
8
verb
Meaning 8
observe with care or pay close attention to
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
Take note of this chemical reaction
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: note, take note
Antonyms: none provided
9
verb
Meaning 9
discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
She detected high levels of lead in her drinking water
We found traces of lead in the paint
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: detect, find, discover, notice
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: spy, sight
Narrower terms: find out, catch out, sense, instantiate, trace, see
10
verb
Meaning 10
watch attentively
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
Please observe the reaction of these two chemicals
We kept to the original conditions of the contract
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: keep
Antonyms: none provided
Narrower terms: make good
History
Etymology
From Middle French observer, from Old French observer, from Latin observō (“to watch”), from ob- (“before”) + servō (“to keep”), from Proto-Indo-European *ser- (“to guard”). Cognate with Gothic 𐍃𐌰𐍂𐍅𐌰 (sarwa, “weapons, armour”), Old English searu (“device”).
Across languages
Translations
176 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
لَاحَظَ
(lāḥaẓa)
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Arabic:
رَاقَبَ
(rāqaba)
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Armenian:
դիտել
(ditel)
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Belarusian:
назiра́ць
(nazirácʹ)
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Belarusian:
нагляда́ць
(nahljadácʹ)
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Bulgarian:
наблюда́вам
(nabljudávam)
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Catalan:
observar
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Chinese Mandarin:
觀察 /观察
(guānchá)
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Czech:
pozorovat
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Danish:
betragte
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Danish:
iagttage
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Danish:
observere
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Dutch:
observeren
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Dutch:
opmerken
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Egyptian:
gm-m-H-ir
(gmḥ)
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Esperanto:
observi
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Estonian:
vaatlema
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Finnish:
havainnoida
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Finnish:
observoida
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Finnish:
seurata
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Finnish:
tarkkailla
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
French:
observer
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
French:
remarquer
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Friulian:
osservâ
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
German:
beobachten
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Gothic:
𐌲𐌰𐌺𐌿𐌽𐌽𐌰𐌽
(gakunnan)
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Greek:
παρατηρώ
(paratiró)
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Ancient Greek:
ὁράω
(horáō)
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Higaonon:
panid-an
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Hindi:
देखना
(dekhnā)
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Hungarian:
észlel
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Hungarian:
észrevesz
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Hungarian:
megfigyel
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Icelandic:
skoða
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Italian:
osservare
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Japanese:
観察する
(kansatsu suru)
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Korean:
관찰하다
(gwanchalhada)
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Ladin:
usserver
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Latgalian:
tiemēt
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Latin:
observo
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Latin:
specto
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Latin:
inspicio
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Latin:
considero
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Latin:
video
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Latin:
specio
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Latin:
speculor
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Latin:
aspecto
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Latin:
animadverto
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Latvian:
vērot
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Macedonian:
набљудува
(nabljuduva)
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Malay:
tinjau
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Malay:
perhati
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Norwegian Bokmål:
observere
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Norwegian Nynorsk:
observere
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Persian:
مشاهده کردن
(mošâhade kardan)
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Persian:
نپاهیدن
(nepâhidan)
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Persian:
پاسیدن
(pāsidan)
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Polish:
obserwować
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Polish:
zaobserwować
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Portuguese:
observar
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Portuguese:
ver
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Portuguese:
verificar
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Portuguese:
olhar
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Portuguese:
reparar
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Quechua:
qhaway
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Romanian:
observa
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Russian:
наблюда́ть
(nabljudátʹ)
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Sanskrit:
पश्यति
(paśyati)
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Serbo-Croatian:
прома́трати
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Serbo-Croatian:
промо̀трити
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Serbo-Croatian:
осма́трати
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Serbo-Croatian:
осмо̀трити
(Bosnia and Herzegovina)
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Serbo-Croatian:
promátrati
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Serbo-Croatian:
promòtriti
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Serbo-Croatian:
osmátrati
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Serbo-Croatian:
osmòtriti (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Slovak:
pozorovať
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Slovene:
opazovati
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Lower Sorbian:
woglědowaś
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Lower Sorbian:
woglědaś
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Spanish:
observar
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Swedish:
observera
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Swedish:
iaktta
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Telugu:
పరిశీలించు
(pariśīliñcu)
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Thai:
สังเกต
(sǎng-gèet)
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Tocharian B:
yärp-
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Ugaritic:
𐎈𐎄𐎊
(ḥdy)
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Ukrainian:
спостеріга́ти
(sposteriháty)
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Ukrainian:
нагляда́ти
(nahljadáty)
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Ukrainian:
назира́ти
(nazyráty)
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Venetan:
oservar
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Vietnamese:
quan sát
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Yiddish:
אָבסערווירן
(observirn)
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
Zazaki:
pawen
— to notice, to watch — see also notice
