c. 1600, "that must be attended, followed, or kept," also "worthy of notice or mention," from Latin observabilis "remarkable, observable," from observare "watch over, note, heed, look to, attend to, guard, regard, comply with," from ob "in front of, before" (see ob-) + servare "to watch, keep safe," from PIE root *ser- (1) "to protect." From 1640s as "perceptible, capable of being observed." Related: Observably; observability.