1590s, in surgery and medicine, "instrument for rendering a part accessible to observation," from Latin speculum "reflector, looking-glass, mirror" (also "a copy, an imitation"), from specere "to look at, view" (from PIE root *spek- "to observe"). As a type of telescope attachment from 1704.
specular
speculate
speculation
speculative
speculator
speculum
sped
speech
speechify
speechless
speed