early 15c., "formal inspection or survey" (of land); mid-15c., "visual perception," from Anglo-French vewe "view," Old French veue "light, brightness; look, appearance; eyesight, vision," noun use of fem. past participle of veoir "to see," from Latin videre "to see" (see vision). Sense of "manner of regarding something" attested from early 15c. Meaning "sight or prospect of a landscape, etc." is recorded from c.1600.

1520s, "inspect, examine," from view, n.. From 1765 as "to regard in a certain way;" from 1935 as "to watch television." Related: Viewed; viewing.