1580s, from Latin spectator "viewer, watcher," from past participle stem of spectare "to view, watch" (see spectacle). Spectator sport is attested from 1943. Related: Spectatorial. Fem. form spectatress (1630s) is less classically correct than spectatrix (1610s).
the spectators applauded the performance
specs
spectacle
spectacles
spectacular
spectate
spectator
specter
spectral
spectre
spectro-
spectrogram
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