1

I know I'm splitting hairs over here but can someone confirm with me the difference between "Observe" and "Observate".

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/observate

I feel there is a very fine difference between the two words. The first one "Observe" feels more general, looking at a whole scene with many elements, whereas "Observate" has a slight scientific tone and focus on looking at only one particular element (i.e. ignoring irrelevant stuff in the scene background).

I ran a google search before posting this and saw many sources using the word “observate” including an entry in the online Oxford dictionary. I also vaguely remember this word from chemistry class at school. Hence my confusion.

Improve this question
  • 4
    I'm positive I've never ever heard 'observate' before in any context. – Roger Feb 27 '19 at 16:01
  • "Observate" seems very obscure, but is in use. I did a couple of Google searches, for 'mouse DNA "observate"' and 'mouse DNA "observe" (to deliberately target scientific articles)'. Judging by the number of hits "Observate" has about 0.04% the usage of "Observe". – James Feb 27 '19 at 16:05
  • 1
    ...sounds a little like conversate – Cascabel Feb 27 '19 at 17:04
  • @Cascabel thanks for the useful comment :) so far that's the best reasoning – Stuart Feb 27 '19 at 17:30
  • I've found a 16th c. adjectival attestation of observate (i.e. "seen") in a Scots translation of Livy by John Bellenden, Archdean of Moray and Canon of Ross, published in Edinburgh in 1872. Thus was nocht the maner observate be the remanent kingis... – TRomano Feb 27 '19 at 19:08
-1

"Observate" is not a real word. "Observe"(v.), "observation"(n.), and "observant"(adj.) are words, but "observate" (and its commonly used brother "observating") is not a word. Many people use these two terms, but they're not in any* dictionary (that I could find) other than Urban Dictionary.

Source: https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/observating.1175407/

Edit: *Apparently "observate" is found in exactly one dictionary.
Edit 2: This is all I got from the Cambridge dictionary online; where did you find an entry?

Improve this answer
  • It is in the dictionary and its in use if you search, so I think that makes it a "real word". – James Feb 27 '19 at 16:09
  • 2
    @James I mean I guess... but the actual Oxford English Dictionary site names the word as a malapropism. – gymnast66x Feb 27 '19 at 16:28
  • 2
    @gymnast66x - I think yours is an important point to make, b/c it seems like a case where citing a single dictionary as an arbiter of the English language might be inappropriate. Maybe instead of saying it's not a real word, you could say what dictionaries it's not in. FWIW, I'm a scientist, and I've never used or read the word observate that I am aware, possibly with the exception of articles in low-impact journals (i.e. that are not thoroughly copyedited) scientists whose native tongue is not (or likely not) English. – mRotten Feb 27 '19 at 17:20
  • Sorry, I meant Oxford dictionary and not Cambridge en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/observate – Stuart Feb 27 '19 at 17:34
  • Also my go-to German-English dictionary had the entry for Observate dict.cc/english-german/observate.html – Stuart Feb 27 '19 at 17:42

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.