"to attend (a sporting event, etc.) to watch, not participate," 1929, back-formation from spectator. Related: Spectated; spectating. Related: Spectation.
Entries linking to spectate
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. Related: Spectatorial. Fem. form spectatress (1630s) is less classically correct than spectatrix (1610s).