An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

The time that has elapsed since the light was emitted from a distant object (of → redshift z). Because → light moves at a → constant  → speed, it takes a finite time to travel from distant objects. Hence, we “see” distant objects at a point in time in their past. In other words, look-back time is the difference between the age of the Universe now and the age of the Universe at the time the photons were emitted from the object. See also → comoving distance.

Etymology (EN): → look; → back; → time.

Etymology (PE): Zamân, → time; negâh,
→ look; gozašté “past, passed” (from gozaštan “to pass, proceed, go on,” variant gozâštan “to put, to place, let, allow;” Mid.Pers. widardan, widâštan “to pass, to let pass (by);” O.Pers. vitar- “to pass across,” viyatarayam “I put across;” Av. vi-tar- “to pass across,” from vi- “apart, away from” (O.Pers. viy- “apart, away;” Av. vi- “apart, away;” cf. Skt. vi- “apart, asunder, away, out;” L. vitare “to avoid, turn aside”) + O.Pers./Av. tar- “to cross over”).