observation

[ob-zur-vey-shuhn]

noun

1. an act or instance of noticing or perceiving.

2. an act or instance of regarding attentively or watching.

3. the faculty or habit of observing or noticing.

   Synonyms: attention

4. notice.

   to escape a person's observation.

5. an act or instance of viewing or noting a fact or occurrence for some scientific or other special purpose.

   the observation of blood pressure under stress.

6. the information or record secured by such an act.

7. something that is learned in the course of observing things.

   My observation is that such clouds mean a storm.

8. a remark, comment, or statement based on what one has noticed or observed.

   Synonyms: opinion, pronouncement

9. the condition of being observed.

10. Navigation.

    1. the measurement of the altitude or azimuth of a heavenly body for navigational purposes.

    2. the information obtained by such a measurement.

11. Obsolete.,  observance, as of the law.

observation

/ ˌɒbzəˈveɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of observing or the state of being observed

2. a comment or remark

3. detailed examination of phenomena prior to analysis, diagnosis, or interpretation

   the patient was under observation

4. the facts learned from observing

5. an obsolete word for observance

6. nautical

   1. a sight taken with an instrument to determine the position of an observer relative to that of a given heavenly body

   2. the data so taken

Other Word Forms

• nonobservation noun
• preobservation noun
• reobservation noun
• self-observation noun
• observational adjective
• observationally adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of observation¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin observātiōn-, stem of observātiō “attention, inspection, surveillance,” from observāt(us) “watched” (past participle of observāre “to watch, regard, attend to”; observe ) + -iō -ion

Synonym Study

See remark.

Example Sentences

The researchers plan to further intensify the observations of dust devils and supplement the data obtained with targeted and coordinated observations of dust devils using CaSSIS and HRSC.

Read more on Science Daily

"The infrared wavelengths of our observations overlap with an important silicate dust feature that's characteristic of some red supergiant spectra," Kilpatrick said.

Read more on Science Daily

Each observation strengthens our ability to identify potential hazards early, giving scientists valuable data for future encounters.

Read more on Science Daily

Later that day, a sergeant from the Portland Police Bureau filed his daily observations of the demonstrations outside an ICE facility.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

When they got to “Don’t Speak,” which was originally written by Eric but was later reworked by the band, Ferguson made a crucial observation and proclamation.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• conclusion 
• consideration 
• examination 
• experience 
• information 
• inspection 
• investigation 
• knowledge 
• measurement 
• note 
• perception 
• remark 
• research 
• review 
• study 
• surveillance 
• view