surveillance

/sɜːrˈveɪ.ləns/ French Origin Technology

Original Word

surveillance

French

Entered English

19th century

First recorded usage in English

The Story Behind "surveillance"

From French 'surveillance', from 'surveiller' (to watch over), from 'sur-' (over) + 'veiller' (to watch). Gained prominence in the digital age with the rise of CCTV and online tracking.

Example Usage

"The building is under 24-hour video surveillance."

All French Loanwords Look Up in Dictionary

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