observant

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /əbˈzɝvənt/ UK /əbˈzɜːvənt/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
quick to notice things; attentive

An observant waiter refilled the glasses before anyone asked.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · quick to notice things;... attentive watchful perceptive alert vigilantsharp-eyedheedful

Opposites

unobservantinattentive oblivious heedless

Word family

Forms observantlyunobservant

Derived forms observantly

Related forms observe observance observation

Etymology

From Old French observant, present participle of observer, from Latin observare ('to watch, heed'), from ob- plus servare ('to keep, watch').

observare Latin servare Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# observant

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /əbˈzɝvənt/
**IPA (UK):** /əbˈzɜːvənt/

## Meanings
1. quick to notice things; attentive

## Examples
- An observant waiter refilled the glasses before anyone asked.

## Synonyms
- attentive
- watchful
- perceptive
- alert
- vigilant
- sharp-eyed
- heedful

## Antonyms
- unobservant
- inattentive
- oblivious
- heedless

## Derived Forms
- observantly

## Related Forms
- observe
- observance
- observation

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: observare
- Root: servare

## Etymology
From Old French observant, present participle of observer, from Latin observare ('to watch, heed'), from ob- plus servare ('to keep, watch').

## AI Etymology
Observant is from Old French observant, present participle of observer, from Latin observare ('to watch, heed'), from ob- plus servare ('to keep, watch'). Important recorded forms include observare (Latin) and servare (Latin). Morphologically, the word is a built form whose named elements carry part of the historical sense. The current sense covers quick to notice things; attentive. The wider family includes derived forms such as observantly and related words such as observe, observance, and observation.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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