Inspection

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ɪnˈspɛkʃən/

Definitions

1. A careful examination or official review of something to check its condition, quality, or compliance with standards
2. A thorough evaluation or assessment conducted to determine the state, quality, or adherence to specifications of an object or situation
3. An official or detailed scrutiny performed to gauge the condition, standards, or legitimacy of something

Etymology: Latin "speciō" meant "to look at," and its compound "īnspiciō" added the prefix "in-" to give "to look into" or "to examine closely." The noun "īnspectiō" was the act of doing exactly that: examining something carefully rather than glancing at it. The word passed through Old French "inspeccion" into Middle French, and English borrowed it from there. The same root sits behind a family of English words that share the sense of looking hard at something. "Spectacle," "spectator," "spectacles," and "suspicion" all grow from "speciō," each carrying a different slice of the original idea of watching closely. "Inspection" kept the most literal version: a formal, careful look meant to reveal what is really there.

Synonyms: examination, review, investigation, scrutiny, assessment

Antonyms: neglect, overlook, disregard, dismissal, indifference