Regarder

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. To direct one's sight toward something in order to observe it attentively ; to consider or examine carefully ; a glance or view cast upon something
2. To focus visual attention on an object or scene ; to study or analyze with interest or intent ; an act of seeing or watching
3. To look steadily or intently at a person or thing ; to contemplate or inspect thoughtfully ; the action of perceiving with the eyes

Etymology: Built from "regard" and the suffix "-er," this term pairs a word meaning "to look at closely" with a suffix that marks a person or thing doing something. "Regard" itself came into English from Old French "regarder," which combined "re-" with "garder," meaning "to watch" or "to guard." That "garder" was borrowed into French from a Germanic source, so the "watching" sense runs back to the same root as "ward" and "guard." The ending has a longer path. It descends from Latin "-arius," which passed through Old French "-ier" and reached Middle English as "-er," while Old English had its own separate "-ere" form. Through that route, "-er" became one of the most productive suffixes in English, which is why the same ending appears in so many everyday nouns.

Synonyms: watcher, observer, viewer, onlooker, spectator

Antonyms: ignore, neglect, overlook, disregard, miss