Online Etymology Dictionary

spear (n.1): Old English spere, from Proto-Germanic *speri (cf. Old Norse spjör, Old Saxon, Old Frisian sper, Dutch speer, Old High German sper, German Speer "spear"), from PIE root *sper- "spear, pole" (cf. Old Norse sparri "spar, rafter," and perhaps also Latin sparus "hunting spear").
spear (n.2): "sprout of a plant," 1540s, variant of spire.
spear (v.): 1755, from spear (n.1). Related: Speared; spearing.
spearhead (n.): c.1400, from spear (n.1) + head (n.). Figurative sense of "leading element" (of an attack, movement, etc.) is attested from 1893; the verb in this sense is recorded from 1938. Related: Spearheaded; spearheading.
spearmint (n.): 1530s, from spear (n.1) + mint (n.1).
spec (n.): short for specification, 1956. Related: Specs.
special (adj.): early 13c., "better than ordinary," from Old French especial, from Latin specialis "individual, particular," from species "appearance, kind, sort" (see species). Meaning "marked off from others by some distinguishing quality" is recorded from c.1300. In Middle English, also as a noun meaning "sweetheart, lover." Meaning "special train" is attested from 1866. Special effects first attested 1951. Special interests in U.S. political sense is from 1910. Special pleading first recorded 1680s.
specialisation (n.): chiefly British English spelling of specialization. For spelling, see -ize.
specialist (n.): 1856 (originally in the medical sense); see special + -ist.
specialization (n.): 1843; see specialize + -ation.
specialize (v.): 1610s, "to indicate specially," from special + -ize. Sense of "engage in a special study or line of business" is first attested 1881; biological sense is from 1851. Related: Specialized; specializing.
specialty (n.): early 14c., from Middle French especialte, variant of specialite, from Latin specialitatem (nominative specialitas) "peculiarity," from specialis (see special). Speciality is attested from early 15c.; French form spécialité (especially in reference to restaurant dishes) is recorded from 1839.
speciation (n.): 1906; see species + -ation.
specie (n.): 1610s, "coin, money in the form of coins" (as opposed to paper money or bullion), from phrase in specie "in the real or actual form" (1550s), from Latin in specie "in kind," ablative of species "kind, form, sort" (see species).
species (n.): 1550s, a classification in logic, from Latin species "kind, sort," originally "appearance, sight, a seeing," related to specere "to look at, to see, behold," from PIE *spek- (see scope (n.1)). Biological sense is from c.1600. Endangered species first attested 1964.
speciesism (n.): "discrimination against certain animals based on assumption of human superiority," first attested 1975 in Richard D. Ryder's "Victims of Science," from species + -ism.
specific (adj.): 1630s, "having a special quality," from French spécifique, from Late Latin specificus "constituting a species," from Latin species "kind, sort" (see species). Earlier form was specifical (early 15c.). Meaning "definite, precise" first recorded 1740.
specification (n.): 1610s, "act of investing with some quality," from Medieval Latin specificationem (nominative specificatio), from Latin species "kind, sort" (see species) + -ficus, unstressed comb. form of facere "to make, do." Meaning "technical particular" is attested from 1833; short form spec first attested 1956.
specificity (n.): 1876, from French spécificité or else a native formation from specific + -ity.
specify (v.): c.1300, from Old French specifier (13c.), from Late Latin specificare "mention particularly," from specifus (see specific). Related: Specified; specifying.
specimen (n.): 1610s, "pattern, model," from Latin specimen "indication, mark, example, sign, evidence," from specere "to look at" (see scope (n.1)). Meaning "single thing regarded as typical of its kind" first recorded 1650s.
specious (adj.): c.1400, "pleasing to the sight, fair," from Latin speciosus "good-looking, beautiful," from species "appearance" (see species). Meaning "seemingly desirable, reasonable or probable, but not really so" is first recorded 1610s.
speck (n.): Old English specca "small spot, stain," of unknown origin; probably related to Dutch speckel "speck, speckle," Middle Dutch spekelen "to sprinkle." Meaning "tiny bit" developed c.1400.
speckle (v.): c.1400 (implied in speckled), probably related to Old English specca "small spot, speck" (see speck) or from a related Middle Dutch or Middle High German word. Related: Speckled; speckling. The noun is first attested mid-15c.
spectacle (n.): mid-14c., "specially prepared or arranged display," from Old French spectacle, from Latin spectaculum "a show, spectacle," from spectare "to view, watch," frequentative form of specere "to look at," from PIE *spek- "to observe" (see scope (n.1)).
spectacles (n.): "glass lenses to help a person's sight," early 15c., from plural of spectacle.
spectacular (adj.): 1680s, from Latin spectaculum (see spectacle). As a noun, first attested 1890. Related: Spectacularly.
spectate (v.): 1929, back-formation from spectator. Related: Spectated; spectating.
spectator (n.): 1580s, from Latin spectator "viewer, watcher," from past participle stem of spectare "to view, watch" (see spectacle). Spectator sport is attested from 1943.
specter (n.): c.1600, from French spectre "an image, figure, ghost" (16c.), from Latin spectrum "appearance, vision, apparition" (see spectrum).
spectral (adj.): 1718, "capable of seeing spectres;" 1815, "ghostly;" from spectre + -al (1). Meaning "pertaining to a spectrum" is 1832, from stem of spectrum + -al (1).
spectre (n.): chiefly British English spelling of specter (q.v.); for spelling, see -re.
spectro-: word-forming element meaning "of or by a spectroscope," also "of radiant energy," from comb. form of spectrum.
spectrograph (n.): 1884, from spectro- + -graph "instrument for recording; something written," from Greek graphe "writing," from graphein "to write, express by written characters," earlier "to draw, represent by lines drawn" (see -graphy). Related: Spectrographic.
spectroscope (n.): 1861, from spectro- + -scope. A Greek-Latin hybrid, both elements from the same PIE root. Related: Spectroscopic; spectroscopy.
spectrum (n.): 1610s, "apparition, specter," from Latin spectrum "appearance, image, apparition," from specere "to look at, view" (see scope (n.1)). Meaning "band of colors formed from a beam of light" first recorded 1670s.
specular (adj.): 1570s, of mirrors and glass, from Latin specularis, from speculum (see speculum). Of sight or vision, from 1650s, from Latin speculari "to spy" (see speculation).
speculate (v.): 1590s, back-formation from speculation. Related: Speculated; speculating.
speculation (n.): late 14c., "contemplation, consideration," from Old French speculation, from Late Latin speculationem (nominative speculatio) "contemplation, observation," from Latin speculatus, past participle of speculari "observe," from specere "to look at, view" (see scope (n.1)). Disparaging sense of "mere conjecture" is recorded from 1570s. Meaning "buying and selling in search of profit from rise and fall of market value" is recorded from 1774; short form spec is attested from 1794.
speculative (adj.): late 14c., from Old French speculatif or directly from Late Latin speculativus, from past participle stem of speculari (see speculation). Related: Speculatively.
speculator (n.): 1550s, from Latin speculator, agent noun from speculari (see speculation). The financial sense is from 1778.
speculum (n.): 1590s, from Latin speculum, literally "mirror," from specere "to look at, view" (see scope (n.1)).
speech (n.): Old English spæc "act of speaking, manner of speaking, formal utterance," variant of spræc, related to sprecan, specan "to speak" (see speak), from Proto-Germanic *sprækijo (cf. German Sprache "speech"). The spr- forms were extinct in English by 1200. Meaning "address delivered to an audience" first recorded 1580s. Speechify "talk in a pompous, pontifical way" first recorded 1723.
And I honor the man who is willing to sink
Half his present repute for the freedom to think,
And, when he has thought, be his cause strong or weak,
Will risk t' other half for the freedom to speak,
Caring naught for what vengeance the mob has in store,
Let that mob be the upper ten thousand or lower.

[James Russell Lowell, "A Fable for Critics," 1848]
speechless (adj.): Old English spæcleas "permanently mute;" see speach + -less. Meaning "mute by effect of astonishment" is from late 14c. Related: Speechlessly; speechlessness.
speed (n.): Old English sped "success, prosperity, advancement," from Proto-Germanic *spodiz (cf. Old Saxon spod "success," Dutch spoed "haste, speed," Old High German spuot "success," Old Saxon spodian "to cause to succeed," Middle Dutch spoeden, Old High German spuoten "to haste"), from PIE *spo-ti- "speed," from *spe- "to thrive, prosper" (cf. Sanskrit sphayate "increases," Latin sperare "to hope," Old Church Slavonic spechu "endeavor," Lithuanian speju "to have leisure").

Meaning "quickness of motion or progress" emerged in late Old English (usually adverbially, in dative plural, e.g. spedum feran), emerging fully in early Middle English. Meaning "gear of a machine" is attested from 1866. Meaning "methamphetamine, or a related drug," first attested 1967, from its effect on users. Speed bump is 1975; figurative sense is 1990s. Full speed is recorded from late 14c. Speed reading first attested 1965. Speedball "mix of cocaine and morphine or heroin" is recorded from 1909.
speed (v.): Old English spedan "to succeed, prosper, advance" (see speed (n.)). Meaning "to go fast" is attested from c.1300. Meaning "to send forth with quickness" is first recorded 1560s; that of "to increase the work rate of" (usually with up) is from 1856. Related: Speeded; speeding.
speeder (n.): "one who drives fast," 1891, agent noun from speed (v.).
Speedo: trademark name of a brand of swimwear, 1928, originally made by McRae Hosiery Manufacturers, Australia. From speed.
speedometer (n.): 1904, from speed + -meter. A Germanic-Greek hybrid and thus execrated by purists.
[T]he ancient Greeks & Romans knew what speed was, & yet no-one supposes they called it speed, whence it follows that speedo- & speedometer are barbarisms. [Fowler]
speedy (adj.): Old English spedig "prosperous, wealthy;" meaning "moving swiftly" is from late 14c., from speed (n.) + -y (2). Related: Speedily; speediness. Speedy Gonzales, Warner Brothers studios cartoon mouse, debuted in 1953 short directed by Bob McKimson.