Surveillances

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of closely observing or monitoring individuals or environments for security or intelligence purposes
2. A systematic examination of behavior or activities to gather relevant information or prevent illicit actions
3. The use of various tools or methods to track movements and interactions for reasons such as safety, law enforcement, or research

Etymology: "Surveillances" is simply the plural of "surveillance," so its story is the story of that noun. The base word was borrowed unadapted from French, where "surveillance" meant a watching over or supervision, built from "surveiller" ("to watch over"). That verb combines "sur-" ("over") with "veiller," meaning "to watch." Earlier, Old French "veillier" meant "to stay awake," and it descends from Latin "vigilare," "to be watchful," the same root that gave English "vigilant." The shift from watching over a person to monitoring whole populations is largely a modern one. The French root carried the sense of supervising or keeping an eye on someone, and English kept that core. The plural form, "surveillances," counts separate acts or instances of such monitoring, which is why it is most often used when speaking of distinct operations rather than the general practice.

Synonyms: monitoring, observation, watching

Antonyms: neglect, disregard