To catch sight of or notice something, especially something distant or partially hidden; to spot or glimpse.
From Old French espier, derived from Latin specere meaning 'to look or see.' The es- prefix intensifies the verb, making it mean 'to look out for' or 'to catch sight of.'
Espy is a beautiful, somewhat poetic word for spotting something—sailors would espy land on the horizon, giving the word a romantic sense of searching and finally finding what you're looking for!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.