scan
UK[skæn]US[skæn]
v
To look at all parts of something carefully in order to detect some feature
v
To pass a beam of light or electrons over something, especially to produce a picture or obtain information
n
An act of scanning something
Etymology
The verb 'scan' entered English in the late 14th century from the Late Latin 'scandere', meaning "to scan verse, analyze metrically." This Latin term derived from the classical Latin 'scandere', which carried the broader sense "to climb, rise, mount." The connection lies in the rhythmic, step-by-step movement of the eyes or mind climbing the lines of poetry to measure its feet. The modern sense of "looking over quickly" emerged in the mid-16th century, evolving from the methodical but swift examination of verse. The 20th-century technical meanings, involving beams of light or radar, are metaphorical extensions of this systematic, sweeping examination.
Analysis
The word 'scan' is a simplex word derived from a single Latin root. It is not productively formed from smaller, independent morphemes in modern English.
Examples
She scanned the document for any spelling errors.
The machine will scan your luggage at security.
The doctor ordered a brain scan for the patient.