at", from theorein (???????) "to consider, speculate, look at", from theoros (??????) "spectator", from thea (???) "a view" + horan (????) "to see". It expressed the state of being a spectator. Both Greek ?????? and Latin contemplatio primarily meant looking at things, whether with the eyes or with the mind.

According to William Johnston, until the sixth century the practice of what is now called mysticism was referred to by the term contemplatio, c.q.