"V" Word Origins

vest

Latin

From French veste, from Latin vestis, "garment, clothing", ultimately from a root meaning "to be dressed" — related to the everyday word "wear".

Vesta

Latin

From Latin Vesta, related to the Greek goddess Hestia — both linked to an ancient root meaning "to dwell".

vestal

Latin

From Latin Vestalis, "belonging to Vesta", the Roman goddess of the hearth.

vested interest

Latin

From vested, meaning legally settled or secured, from Latin vestire 'to clothe'.

vestiary

Origin

From Old French vestiarie, from Latin vestiarium, from vestis (“clothing”). Doublet of vestry.

vestibule

Latin

From Latin vestibulum, "entrance court", combining vestire, "to clothe", with a suffix meaning "place".

vestige

Origin

From French vestige, from Latin vestīgium (“footstep, footprint, track, the sole of the foot, a trace, mark”). Doublet of vestigium.

vestment

Origin

From Middle English vestement, vestment, from Old French vestement, from Latin vestīmentum. By surface analysis, vest + -ment. Compare French vêtement.

vestry

Origin

From Anglo-Norman vesterie, from Old French vestiaire (“room for vestments, dressing room”), from Latin vestiarium (“wardrobe”). Doublet of vestiary.

vesture

Origin

From Middle English vesture (noun) and vesturen (verb), from Anglo-Norman, from Old French vesteüre, from Vulgar Latin vestītūra (“clothing”), from Latin vestītus, perfect passive participle of vestiō (“to clothe”), from vestis (“garment”).

Vesuvius

Latin

From Latin Vesuvius, of uncertain origin.

vet

Origin

A shortened form of "veterinarian" (the animal-doctor sense) and separately of "veteran" (the ex-soldier sense).

veteran

Latin

From Latin veteranus, related to vetus, "old".

veterans

Latin

From Latin veteranus 'old, experienced', from vetus 'old'.

veterinarian

Latin

From Latin veterinarius, "of cattle or draught animals", ultimately connected to vehere, "to carry" — reflecting the word's roots in caring for working animals.

veterinary

Latin

From Latin veterinarius, tied to the care of cattle and other working animals.

veto

Latin

From Latin vetare, "to forbid" — Roman officials once used the single word "veto" ("I forbid") to block a proposal outright.

Vette

Origin

A shortening of "Corvette".

vex

Latin

From Old French vexer, from Latin vexare, "to disturb, agitate, annoy".

vexation

Origin

From Late Middle English vexacioun, vexation (“physical suffering; act of inflicting trouble (specifically through unjustified legal action); anxiety, mental distress; mental disturbance”), from Anglo-Norman vexacion, vexation, Middle French vexacion, vexation (“distress, suffering; harassment (specifically through unjustified legal action)”), and Old French vexacion, vexation (“distress, suffering; harassment”) (modern French vexation), and from their etymon Latin vexātiō (“shaking or similar violent movement; (causing of) agitation, distress, suffering; harassment, persecution; trouble”), from vexātus + -iō (suffix forming abstract nouns from verbs). Vexātus is the perfect passive participle of vexō (“to shake or jolt violently; to annoy, harass; to persecute; to trouble violently”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ-. By surface analysis, vex + -ation (suffix denoting an action or process or its result, or a quality or state). Doublet of quake.

vexatious

Origin

a 1650 vexation + -ous

vexed

Middle English

From Middle English vexed, the past-tense form of vex.

vexing

Origin

From vex + the suffix -ing.

VHS

Origin

An initialism originally standing for "Vertical Helical Scan", later popularly reinterpreted as "Video Home System".

Vi

Origin

A clipped form of Violet or Viola.

via

Latin

Borrowed directly from Latin via, "road" — the same root that gives us "voyage" and "convey."

viability

Latin

Formed from viable plus the noun-forming suffix -ity, tracing back to French viable and Latin vita, "life."

viable

Latin

From French viable, ultimately from Latin vita, "life," with the sense shaped by Latin viabilis, "passable" or "able to travel."

viaduct

Latin

A blend of Latin via, "road," and the English word "aqueduct."

Viagra

Origin

A marketing name of uncertain origin, possibly echoing words like "vigour," "virility," and "Niagara."

vial

Middle English

From Middle English vial, a variant of "phial" — both trace back to the same Greek-derived word for a small flask.

viaticum

Origin

From Latin viāticum (“travelling-money, provisions for a journey”), from viāticus (“of a road or journey”), from via (“road”). Doublet of voyage.

viator

Origin

Borrowed from Latin viātor (“traveler”).

vibe

Origin

A shortened, informal form of "vibration."

vibrant

Latin

From French vibrant, from Latin vibrans, the present participle of vibrare, "to vibrate."

vibrate

Latin

From Latin vibratus, the past participle of vibrare, "to shake or set in tremulous motion."

vibration

Latin

From Latin vibratio, "a shaking or brandishing," from vibrare, "to vibrate."

vibratiuncle

Origin

From modern Latin vibratiuncula, diminutive form of Latin vibrātio (“vibration”).

vibrative

Origin

From vibrate + -ive.

vibrato

Italian

Borrowed from Italian vibrato, the past participle of vibrare, "to vibrate."

vibrator

New Latin

From New Latin vibrator, from Latin vibrare, "to vibrate," plus the agent suffix -or.

vibrissa

Origin

Borrowed from Latin vibrissae.

Vic

Origin

A clipping of "victim," and separately, of "Victoria" (as in the Ford Crown Victoria).

vicar

Latin

From Anglo-Norman vicaire and Latin vicarius, "substitute" — the same root as "vicarious."

vicarage

Origin

Formed from vicar plus the suffix -age, denoting a role or its dwelling place.

vicarious

Latin

From Latin vicarius 'substitute, deputy', from vicis 'a turn, a change'.

vicariously

Latin

From vicarious plus the adverb suffix -ly; vicarious comes from Latin vicarius, "substitute."

vice

Latin

The "bad habit" sense comes from Latin vitium, "fault," while the "instead of" sense comes from Latin vice, the ablative form of vicis, "turn, change."