erblicken
Translation
to catch sight of, to spot, to behold, to descry
Examples
In der Ferne erblickte er ein Schiff.
In the distance, he caught sight of a ship.
Als sie das Licht der Welt erblickte, war es ein sonniger Tag.
When she saw the light of day (was born), it was a sunny day.
Grammar Patterns
((sb./sth.)) to catch sight of sb./sth. In the distance, he caught sight of a ship.
Similar Words
Synonyms: sehen, entdecken, gewahren (to see, to discover, to perceive)
Etymology
From the prefix 'er-' (indicating achievement or beginning) + 'blicken' (to look). It signifies the successful result of looking.
Memory Tips
Think of it as a more formal or sudden 'seeing'. The 'er-' prefix makes it sound like an achievement, like you finally 'got a look'.