An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
English-French-Persian

A suffix meaning "instrument for viewing," used in the formation of compound words, such as → telescope, → microscope; → spectroscope.

N.L. -scopium, from Gk. -skopion, -skopeion, from skopein "to behold, look, consider," skeptesthai "to look at;" PIE base *spek- "to see;" cf. Av. spasiieiti "looks at, perceives," spas- "spy;" Skt. paś- "to see, watch," spasati "sees;" L. specere "to look at;" O.H.G. spehhon "to spy," Ger. spähen "to spy."

-bin, short for binandé "seer," present stem of didan "to see," from Mid.Pers. wyn-; O.Pers. vain- "to see;" Av. vaēn- "to see;" cf. Skt. veda "I know;" Gk. oida "I know," idein "to see;" L. videre "to see;" PIE base *weid- "to know, to see."
-nemâ, present stem of nemudan "to show;" Mid.Pers. nimūdan, nimây- "to show," from O.Pers./Av. ni- "down; into," → ni- (PIE),+ māy- "to measure;" cf. Skt. mati "measures," matra- "measure;" Gk. metron "measure;" L. metrum; PIE base *me- "to measure."