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View synonyms for

observation

[ ob-zur-vey-shuhn ]

noun

  1. an act or instance of noticing or perceiving.
  2. an act or instance of regarding attentively or watching.
  3. the faculty or habit of observing or noticing.

    Synonyms:

  4. notice:

    to escape a person's observation.

  5. an act or instance of viewing or noting a fact or occurrence for some scientific or other special purpose:

    the observation of blood pressure under stress.

  6. the information or record secured by such an act.
  7. something that is learned in the course of observing things:

    My observation is that such clouds mean a storm.

  8. a remark, comment, or statement based on what one has noticed or observed.

    Synonyms: ,

  9. the condition of being observed.
  10. Navigation.
    1. the measurement of the altitude or azimuth of a heavenly body for navigational purposes.
    2. the information obtained by such a measurement.
  11. Obsolete. observance, as of the law.


observation

/ ˌɒəˈɪʃə /

noun

  1. the act of observing or the state of being observed
  2. a comment or remark
  3. detailed examination of phenomena prior to analysis, diagnosis, or interpretation

    the patient was under observation

  4. the facts learned from observing
  5. an obsolete word for observance
  6. nautical
    1. a sight taken with an instrument to determine the position of an observer relative to that of a given heavenly body
    2. the data so taken
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˌDzˈپDzԲ, adjective
  • ˌDzˈپDzԲly, adverb
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Other Word Forms

  • ԴDzo··tDz noun
  • o··tDz noun
  • o··tDz noun
  • -Dzȴ·tDz noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of observation1

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin Dzپō-, stem of Dzپō “attention, inspection, surveillance,” from Dz(ܲ) “watched” (past participle of Dz “to watch, regard, attend to”; observe ) + -ion
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Synonym Study

See remark.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

I think the impetus of the paper comes from multiple observations and experiences I’ve had over the years, both as a young scientist and someone who observes birds recreationally.

From

Her ethereal look masked her interior stoniness and likely facilitated her extraordinary powers of observation and reporting.

From

This cryptic observation hinted at buried family secrets — perhaps even his mother Juliette's initial attraction to Aldous before she settled for Julian.

From

Several times, laughter ripples through the theatre as the singer's more acerbic observations hit home.

From

She then paused five long seconds, her face a rictus of wonderment and concern, allowing the observation and admission — from a sitting member of the United States Senate, no less — to sink in.

From

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observantobservational