“Observe” vs. “Observate”
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.
meaning word-usage
asked 9 hours ago
StuartStuart
61
|
show 1 more comment
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.
meaning word-usage
asked 9 hours ago
StuartStuart
61
4
I'm positive I've never ever heard 'observate' before in any context.
– Roger
9 hours ago
1
@Roger Same here, and I don't anticipate adding it to my idiolect.
– user888379
9 hours ago
"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
9 hours ago
1
...sounds a little like conversate
– Cascabel
8 hours ago
@Cascabel thanks for the useful comment :) so far that's the best reasoning
– Stuart
8 hours ago
|
show 1 more comment
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.
meaning word-usage
asked 9 hours ago
StuartStuart
61
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.
meaning word-usage
meaning word-usage
asked 9 hours ago
StuartStuart
61
asked 9 hours ago
StuartStuart
61
edited 8 hours ago
Stuart
asked 9 hours ago
StuartStuart
61
asked 9 hours ago
StuartStuart
61
asked 9 hours ago
StuartStuart
61
61
4
I'm positive I've never ever heard 'observate' before in any context.
– Roger
9 hours ago
1
@Roger Same here, and I don't anticipate adding it to my idiolect.
– user888379
9 hours ago
"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
9 hours ago
1
...sounds a little like conversate
– Cascabel
8 hours ago
@Cascabel thanks for the useful comment :) so far that's the best reasoning
– Stuart
8 hours ago
|
show 1 more comment
4
I'm positive I've never ever heard 'observate' before in any context.
– Roger
9 hours ago
1
@Roger Same here, and I don't anticipate adding it to my idiolect.
– user888379
9 hours ago
"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
9 hours ago
1
...sounds a little like conversate
– Cascabel
8 hours ago
@Cascabel thanks for the useful comment :) so far that's the best reasoning
– Stuart
8 hours ago
4
4
I'm positive I've never ever heard 'observate' before in any context.
– Roger
9 hours ago
I'm positive I've never ever heard 'observate' before in any context.
– Roger
9 hours ago
1
1
@Roger Same here, and I don't anticipate adding it to my idiolect.
– user888379
9 hours ago
@Roger Same here, and I don't anticipate adding it to my idiolect.
– user888379
9 hours ago
"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
9 hours ago
"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
9 hours ago
1
1
...sounds a little like conversate
– Cascabel
8 hours ago
...sounds a little like conversate
– Cascabel
8 hours ago
@Cascabel thanks for the useful comment :) so far that's the best reasoning
– Stuart
8 hours ago
@Cascabel thanks for the useful comment :) so far that's the best reasoning
– Stuart
8 hours ago
|
show 1 more comment
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
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"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?
answered 9 hours ago
gymnast66xgymnast66x
264
It is in the dictionary and its in use if you search, so I think that makes it a "real word".
– James
9 hours ago
1
@James I mean I guess... but the actual Oxford English Dictionary site names the word as a malapropism.
– gymnast66x
9 hours ago
1
@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
8 hours ago
Sorry, I meant Oxford dictionary and not Cambridge en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/observate
– Stuart
8 hours ago
Also my go-to German-English dictionary had the entry for Observate dict.cc/english-german/observate.html
– Stuart
7 hours ago
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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"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?
answered 9 hours ago
gymnast66xgymnast66x
264
It is in the dictionary and its in use if you search, so I think that makes it a "real word".
– James
9 hours ago
1
@James I mean I guess... but the actual Oxford English Dictionary site names the word as a malapropism.
– gymnast66x
9 hours ago
1
@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
8 hours ago
Sorry, I meant Oxford dictionary and not Cambridge en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/observate
– Stuart
8 hours ago
Also my go-to German-English dictionary had the entry for Observate dict.cc/english-german/observate.html
– Stuart
7 hours ago
add a comment |
"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?
answered 9 hours ago
gymnast66xgymnast66x
264
It is in the dictionary and its in use if you search, so I think that makes it a "real word".
– James
9 hours ago
1
@James I mean I guess... but the actual Oxford English Dictionary site names the word as a malapropism.
– gymnast66x
9 hours ago
1
@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
8 hours ago
Sorry, I meant Oxford dictionary and not Cambridge en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/observate
– Stuart
8 hours ago
Also my go-to German-English dictionary had the entry for Observate dict.cc/english-german/observate.html
– Stuart
7 hours ago
add a comment |
"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?
answered 9 hours ago
gymnast66xgymnast66x
264
"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?
answered 9 hours ago
gymnast66xgymnast66x
264
edited 9 hours ago
answered 9 hours ago
gymnast66xgymnast66x
264
answered 9 hours ago
gymnast66xgymnast66x
264
answered 9 hours ago
gymnast66xgymnast66x
264
264
It is in the dictionary and its in use if you search, so I think that makes it a "real word".
– James
9 hours ago
1
@James I mean I guess... but the actual Oxford English Dictionary site names the word as a malapropism.
– gymnast66x
9 hours ago
1
@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
8 hours ago
Sorry, I meant Oxford dictionary and not Cambridge en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/observate
– Stuart
8 hours ago
Also my go-to German-English dictionary had the entry for Observate dict.cc/english-german/observate.html
– Stuart
7 hours ago
add a comment |
It is in the dictionary and its in use if you search, so I think that makes it a "real word".
– James
9 hours ago
1
@James I mean I guess... but the actual Oxford English Dictionary site names the word as a malapropism.
– gymnast66x
9 hours ago
1
@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
8 hours ago
Sorry, I meant Oxford dictionary and not Cambridge en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/observate
– Stuart
8 hours ago
Also my go-to German-English dictionary had the entry for Observate dict.cc/english-german/observate.html
– Stuart
7 hours ago
It is in the dictionary and its in use if you search, so I think that makes it a "real word".
– James
9 hours ago
It is in the dictionary and its in use if you search, so I think that makes it a "real word".
– James
9 hours ago
1
1
@James I mean I guess... but the actual Oxford English Dictionary site names the word as a malapropism.
– gymnast66x
9 hours ago
@James I mean I guess... but the actual Oxford English Dictionary site names the word as a malapropism.
– gymnast66x
9 hours ago
1
1
@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
8 hours ago
@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
8 hours ago
Sorry, I meant Oxford dictionary and not Cambridge en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/observate
– Stuart
8 hours ago
Sorry, I meant Oxford dictionary and not Cambridge en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/observate
– Stuart
8 hours ago
Also my go-to German-English dictionary had the entry for Observate dict.cc/english-german/observate.html
– Stuart
7 hours ago
Also my go-to German-English dictionary had the entry for Observate dict.cc/english-german/observate.html
– Stuart
7 hours ago
add a comment |
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4
I'm positive I've never ever heard 'observate' before in any context.
– Roger
9 hours ago
1
@Roger Same here, and I don't anticipate adding it to my idiolect.
– user888379
9 hours ago
"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
9 hours ago
1
...sounds a little like conversate
– Cascabel
8 hours ago
@Cascabel thanks for the useful comment :) so far that's the best reasoning
– Stuart
8 hours ago