Etymology dictionary

vegetarianism (n.) — verdant (adj.)

1839, irregular formation from vegetable (n.) + -arian, as in agrarian, etc. "The general use of the word appears to have been largely due to the formation of the Vegetarian Society in Ramsgate in 1847" [OED]. As an adjective from 1849. An earlier adjective was anti-carnivorous (1828).

veggie (n.)

slang shortening of vegetable (n.), 1976; earlier vegie (1955). Related: Veggies.

vehemence (n.)

c. 1400, from Old French vehemence, veemence "forcefulness, violence, rashness" or directly from Latin vehementia "eagerness, strength," from stem of vehere "to carry" (from PIE root *wegh- "to go, move, transport in a vehicle"). Related: Vehemency.

vehement (adj.)

early 15c., from Old French vehement, veement "impetuous, ardent" (12c.), from Latin vehementem (nominative vehemens) "impetuous, eager, violent, furious, ardent, carried away," perhaps [Barnhart] from a lost present middle participle of vehere "to carry" (from PIE root *wegh- "to go, move, transport in a vehicle"). The other theory is that it represents vehe- "lacking, wanting" + mens "mind." Related: Vehemently.

vehicle (n.)

1610s, "a medium through which a drug or medicine is administered," also "any means of conveying or transmitting," from French véhicule (16c.), from Latin vehiculum "means of transport, vehicle, carriage, conveyance," from vehere "to bear, carry, convey" (from PIE root *wegh- "to go, move, transport in a vehicle," which also is the source of English wagon). Sense of "cart or other conveyance" in English first recorded 1650s.

vehicular (adj.)

"pertaining to vehicles," 1610s, from Late Latin vehicularis, from vehiculum "a vehicle" (see vehicle).

veil (n.)

c. 1200, "nun's head covering," from Anglo-French and Old North French veil (12c., Modern French voile) "a head-covering," also "a sail, a curtain," from Latin vela, plural of velum "sail, curtain, covering," from PIE root *weg- (1) "to weave a web." Vela was mistaken in Vulgar Latin for a feminine singular noun. To take the veil "become a nun" is attested from early 14c.

veil (v.)

late 14c., from Old French veler, voiller (12c.), from Latin velare "to cover, veil," from velum "a cloth, covering, curtain, veil," literally "a sail" (see veil (n.)). Figurative sense of "to conceal, mask, disguise" (something immaterial) is recorded from 1530s. Related: Veiled; veiling.

vein (n.)

c. 1300, from Old French veine "vein, artery, pulse" (12c.), from Latin vena "a blood vessel," also "a water course, a vein of metal, a person's natural ability or interest," of unknown origin. The mining sense is attested in English from late 14c. (Greek phleps "vein" had the same secondary sense). Figurative sense of "strain or intermixture" (of some quality) is recorded from 1560s; that of "a humor or mood, natural tendency" is first recorded 1570s.

velar (adj.)

1726, from Latin velaris, from velum "sail, curtain" (see veil (n.)). Originally an architect's term for a type of cupola resembling a swelling sail; phonetics sense is from 1876, on notion of "pertaining to the velum," the anatomist's name for the soft palate (velum in this sense is attested from 1771, in full velum palati). The noun meaning "a velar guttural" is recorded from 1886.

Velcro (n.)

1958, proprietary name (Britain), from French vel(ours) cro(ché) "hooked velvet."

veld (n.)

see veldt.

veldt (n.)

also veld, South African grassland, 1785, from Afrikaans, from older Dutch veld "field," from Proto-Germanic *felthuz "flat land" (see field (n.)).

velleity (n.)

"volition in the weakest form; an indolent or inactive wish," 1610s, from Medieval Latin stem of velleitas (from Latin velle "to wish, will;" see will (v.)) + -ity.

vellum (n.)

early 15c., from Old French velin "parchment made from calfskin" (13c.), from vel, veel "calf" (see veal).

velocity (n.)

early 15c., from Latin velocitatem (nominative velocitas) "swiftness, speed," from velox (genitive velocis) "swift, speedy, rapid, quick," of uncertain origin, perhaps related to vehere "carry" (from PIE root *wegh- "to go, move, transport in a vehicle"), or from PIE *weg-slo-, suffixed form of root *weg- "to be strong, be lively."

velocipede (n.)

1819, "wheeled vehicle propelled by alternate thrusts of each foot on the ground," 1819, from French vélocipède (19c.), from Latin velox (genitive velocis) "swift, speedy" (see velocity) + pedem, accusative of pes "foot" (from PIE root *ped- "foot"). The mechanical ancestor of the bicycle, it was tinkered with and improved; the name continued for some time and was applied to an early kind of modern bicycle or tricycle from 1849. See bicycle (n.).

velociraptor (n.)

1924, from Latin velox (genitive velocis) "swift, speedy" (see velocity) + raptor "robber" (see raptor). Fossil remains discovered in 1923 in the red Djadochta sandstone at Shabarakh Usu in Mongolia.

velodrome (n.)

"building for bicycle races," 1892, from French vélodrome, from vélo, colloquial abbreviation of vélocipède (see velocipede) + -drome, as in hippodrome.

velour (n.)

1706, also velure, velours, from French velours "velvet," from Old French velor, alteration of velos "velvet," from Old Provençal velos, from Latin villosus (adj.) "shaggy, hairy, rough" (in Medieval Latin "velvet"), from villus "shaggy hair, tuft of hair" (see velvet).

Velox (n.)

type of photographic print paper made by a process patented 1893 by Leo Baekeland, who sold it to George Eastman in 1899 for $1 million and used the money to build the laboratory where he made great discoveries in plastics (see Bakelite).

vel sim.

abbreviation of Latin vel similia "or the like, or similar ones."

velum (n.)

"the soft palate," 1771, from Latin velum "a sail, awning, curtain, covering" (see veil (n.)).

velvet (n.)

early 14c., probably from Old Provençal veluet, from Vulgar Latin *villutittus, diminutive of Vulgar Latin *villutus "velvet," literally "shaggy cloth," from Latin villus "shaggy hair, nap of cloth, tuft of hair," probably a dialectal variant of vellus "fleece," from PIE *wel-no-, suffixed form of *uelh- "to strike" (see svelte).

velveteen (n.)

imitation velvet (made with cotton in place of silk), 1776, from velvet + commercial suffix -een (variant of -ine).

velvety (adj.)

1712, from velvet + -y (2). Related: Velvetiness.

ven.

abbreviation of venerable.

vena cava (n.)

Medical Latin, from Latin vena "vein" (see vein) + cava, from cavus "hollow" (from PIE root *keue- "to swell," also "vault, hole").

venal (adj.)

1650s, "capable of being obtained for a price; that can be corrupted;" 1660s, "offered for sale," from French vénal, Old French venel "for sale" (of prostitutes, etc.; 12c.), from Latin venalis "for sale, to be sold; capable of being bribed," from venum (nominative *venus) "for sale," from PIE root *wes- (1) "to buy, sell" (source also of Sanskrit vasnah "purchase money," vasnam "reward," vasnayati "he bargains, haggles;" Greek onos "price paid, purchase," oneisthai "to buy"). Typically with a bad sense of "ready to sell one's services or influence for money and from sordid motives; to be bought basely or meanly."

venality (n.)

1610s, from French vénalité or directly from Late Latin venalitatem (nominative venalitas) "capability of being bought," from Latin venalis "capable of being bought" (see venal).

venation (n.)

"arrangement of veins," 1640s, of plant structures, noun of state from Latin vena "vein" (see vein). Related: Venational.

vend (v.)

1620s, from Latin vendere "to sell, give for a bribe; praise, cry up," contraction of venumdare "offer for sale," from venum "for sale" (see venal) + dare "to give" (from PIE root *do- "to give"). Related: Vended; vending; vendible (early 14c.). Vending machine is recorded from 1889.

vendee (n.)

"person to whom something is sold," 1540s; see vend (v.) + -ee.

Vendee

department of western France, French Vendée, named for the river through it, which is perhaps from Gaulish vindos "white." Especially in reference to the insurrection there against the Republic in 1793. Related: Vendean.

vender (n.)

1590s, agent noun in native form from vend (v.).

vendetta (n.)

"a private war in which a kinsman wreaks vengeance on the slayer of a relative," 1846, from Italian vendetta "a feud, blood feud," from Latin vindicta "vengeance, revenge" (see vindication). Especially associated with Corsica.

vendor (n.)

1590s, from late Anglo-French vendor, from vendre "to vend," from Latin vendere "to sell" (see vend). More common in legal use than vender.

vendue (n.)

"public sale, auction," 1680s, from Dutch vendu, from obsolete French vendue "sale, selling price," from vendre "to sell," from Latin vendere (see vend).

veneer (v.)

1728 (earlier fineer, 1708), from German furnieren (see veneer (n.)). Related: Veneered; veneering.

veneer (n.)

1702, from German Furnier, from furnieren "to cover with a veneer, inlay," from French fournir "to furnish, accomplish," from Middle French fornir "to furnish," from a Germanic source (compare Old High German frumjan "to provide;" see furnish). From German to French to German to English. Figurative sense of "mere outward show of some good quality" is attested from 1868.

veneration (n.)

early 15c., from Old French veneracion, from Latin venerationem (nominative veneratio) "reverence, profoundest respect," noun of action from past participle stem of venerari "to worship, revere," from venus (genitive veneris) "beauty, love, desire" (from PIE root *wen- (1) "to desire, strive for").

venerable (adj.)

early 15c., "worthy of respect," from Old French venerable and directly from Latin venerabilis "worthy of reverence or respect," from venerari "to worship, revere," from venus (genitive veneris) "beauty, love, desire" (from PIE root *wen- (1) "to desire, strive for"). As a title, used in reference to ecclesiastics (in the Anglican church, specifically of archdeacons) or those who had obtained the first degree of canonization. Related: Venerably; venerability.

venerate (v.)

1620s, back-formation from veneration, or else from Latin veneratus, past participle of venerari "to reverence, worship," from venus (genitive veneris) "beauty, love, desire" (from PIE root *wen- (1) "to desire, strive for"). Related: Venerated; venerating.

venereal (adj.)

early 15c., "of or pertaining to sexual desire or intercourse," from Latin venereus, venerius "of Venus; of sexual love," from venus (genitive veneris) "sexual love, sexual desire" (from PIE root *wen- (1) "to desire, strive for"). Used of sexually transmitted diseases from 1650s. Related: Venereally.

venery (n.2)

"hunting, the sports of the chase," early 14c., from Old French venerie, from Medieval Latin venaria "beasts of the chase, game," from Latin venari "to hunt, pursue," which is probably from PIE root *wen- (1) "to desire, strive for."

venery (n.1)

"pursuit of sexual pleasure," mid-15c., from Medieval Latin veneria "sexual intercourse," from Latin venus (genitive veneris) "sexual love, sexual desire" (from PIE root *wen- (1) "to desire, strive for"). In earlier use it may have been felt as a play on now obsolete homonym venery (n.2) "practice or sport of hunting, the chase." Related: Venereous.

Venetian (n.)

early 15c., "native or resident of Venice," from Medieval Latin Venetianus, from Venetia (see Venice). Also probably in part from Old French Venicien. As a kind of dress cloth, from 1710. As an adjective from 1550s. Venetian blinds, made of thin light slats suspended on strips of webbing, so called by 1791 (see blinds).

Venezuela

Spanish, diminutive of Venecia "Venice" (see Venice). Supposedly the name was given by Spanish sailors in 1499 when they saw a native village built on piles on Lake Maracaibo. Related: Venezuelan.

vengeful (adj.)

1580s, from obsolete venge (v.) "take revenge" + -ful. Related: Vengefully; vengefulness.

venge (v.)

"avenge," c. 1300, from Old French vengier "revenge, avenge, punish," from Latin vindicare "avenge, vindicate" (see vindication). Related: Venged; venging.

vengeance (n.)

c. 1300, from Anglo-French vengeaunce, Old French vengeance, venjance "revenge, retribution" (12c.), from vengier "take revenge," from Latin vindicare "assert a claim, claim as one's own; avenge, punish" (see vindicate).

venial (adj.)

c. 1300, "pardonable," from Old French venial "pardonable, excusable" (13c.) and directly from Late Latin venialis "pardonable," from Latin venia "forgiveness, indulgence, pardon, favor," from PIE *wen-ya- "sexual love, desire," suffixed form of root *wen- (1) "to desire, strive for." Related: Venially.

Venice

(Italian Venezia, German Venedig), from Medieval Latin Venetia, from Veneti (Greek Ouenetoi), name of an ancient people of Illyrian origin.

venire

1660s, elliptical for venire facias (mid-15c.), Latin, literally "that you cause to come," formerly the first words in a writ to a sheriff to summon a jury, from venire "to come" (from PIE root *gwa- "to go, come").

venison (n.)

c. 1300, from Old French venesoun "meat of large game," especially deer or boar, also "a hunt," from Latin venationem (nominative venatio) "a hunt, hunting, the chase," also "game as the product of the hunt," from venatus, past participle of venari "to hunt, pursue," probably from PIE *wen-a-, from root *wen- (1) "to desire, strive for."

Venn diagram (n.)

1918 (Venn's diagram is from 1904), named for English logician John Venn (1834-1923) of Cambridge, who explained them in the book "Symbolic Logic" (1881).

venom (n.)

mid-13c., venim, venym, "poison secreted by some animals and transferred by biting," from Anglo-French and Old French venim, venin "poison; malice," from Vulgar Latin *venimen (source also of Italian veleno, Spanish veneno), from Latin venenum "poison," earlier (pre-classical) "drug, medical potion," also "charm, seduction," probably originally "love potion," from PIE *wenes-no-, from root *wen- (1) "to desire, strive for." Variously deformed in post-Latin languages, apparently by dissimilation. Modern spelling in English from late 14c. The meaning "bitter, virulent feeling or language" is first recorded c. 1300.

venomous (adj.)

"full of venom, noxious or hurtful by means of venom," c. 1300, from Anglo-French venimeus, Old French venimos (12c., Modern French venimeux), from venim (see venom). Earliest recorded use is figurative; literal sense by early 14c. Biologists have tended to preserve a distinction between venomous and poisonous that the general language has forgotten: venomous is applied to what bites or stings to inject toxins, poisonous to what unload toxins when eaten. Related: Venomously; venomousness.

venous (adj.)

1620s, from Latin venosus "full of veins," from vena (see vein).

vent (n.)

c. 1400, "anus," from Old French vent from verb eventer (see vent (v.)) and in part from Middle English aventer, from the French verb. Perhaps also merged with or influenced by Middle English fent "opening or slit in a the front of a garment (usually held closed with a brooch)," c. 1400, from Old French fente, from Latin findere "to split" (from PIE root *bheid- "to split"). Meaning "outlet for water," also "air hole, breathing hole" is from mid-15c. Meaning "action of venting" is recorded from c. 1500.

vent (v.)

late 14c., "emit from a confined space," probably a shortening of aventer "expose oneself to the air" (c. 1300), from Old French eventer "let out, expose to air," from Vulgar Latin *exventare, from Latin ex "out" + ventus "wind" (from PIE *wē-nt-o‑ "blowing," suffixed (participial) form of root *we- "to blow").

Sense of "express freely" first recorded 1590s. Sense of "divulge, publish" (1590s) is behind phrase vent one's spleen (see spleen). Related: Vented; venting.

ventilator (n.)

1743, agent noun from ventilate. Latin ventilator meant "a winnower."

ventilation (n.)

"process of replacing foul air in an enclosed place with fresh, pure air," 1660s, from Latin ventilationem (nominative ventilatio) "an exposing to the air," noun of action from past participle stem of ventilare (see ventilate).

ventilate (v.)

early 15c., "to scatter, disperse (as the wind does)," from Latin ventilatus, past participle of ventilare "to brandish, toss in the air, winnow, fan, agitate, set in motion," from ventulus "a breeze," diminutive of ventus "wind" (from PIE *wē-nt-o‑ "blowing," suffixed (participial) form of root *we- "to blow").

Original notion is of cleaning grain by tossing it in the air and letting the wind blow away the chaff. Meaning "supply a room with fresh air" first recorded 1743, a verbal derivative of ventilation. Formerly with diverse slang senses, including "shoot" (someone), recorded from 1875, on the notion of "make holes in." Related: Ventilated; ventilating.

ventral (adj.)

1739, from French ventral or directly from Late Latin ventralis "of or pertaining to the belly or stomach," from Latin venter (genitive ventris) "belly, paunch; stomach, appetite; womb, unborn child," from PIE *wend-tri- (source also of Latin vesica "bladder," Sanskrit vastih "bladder," Old High German wanast, German wanst "paunch, belly"), perhaps from root *udero- "abdomen, womb, stomach" (see uterus).

ventricle (n.)

late 14c., "small chamber or cavity within a bodily organ," especially of the heart, from Latin ventriculus (in reference to the heart, ventriculus cordis), literally "little belly," diminutive of venter (genitive ventris) "belly" (see ventral).

ventriloquism (n.)

1773, in the modern sense, from ventriloquy + -ism.

ventriloquy (n.)

1580s, from Late Latin ventriloquus, from Latin venter (genitive ventris) "belly" (see ventral) + loqui "to speak" (from PIE root *tolkw- "to speak"). Related: Ventriloquial; ventriloquize.

Patterned on Greek engastrimythos, literally "speaking in the belly," which was not originally an entertainer's trick but rather a rumbling sort of internal speech, regarded as a sign of spiritual inspiration or (more usually) demonic possession. Reference to the modern activity so called seems to have begun early 18c., and by 1797 it was being noted that this was a curiously inappropriate word to describe throwing the voice.

ventriloquist (n.)

1650s in the classical sense, from ventriloquy + -ist. In the modern sense from c. 1800. Ventriloquists in ancient Greece were Pythones, a reference to the Delphic Oracle. Another English word for them was gastromyth.

venture (v.)

early 15c., "to risk the loss" (of something), shortened form of aventure, itself a form of adventure. General sense of "to dare, to presume" is recorded from 1550s. Related: Ventured; venturing.

venturous (adj.)

"daring, bold, hardy," 1560s, shortened form of adventurous, influenced by venture.

venture (n.)

c. 1400, "fortune, chance," shortening of aventure (n.), a variant of adventure (n.); also from Anglo-French venture. The sense of "risky undertaking" is attested by 1560s; the meaning "enterprise of a business nature" is recorded from 1580s. Venture capital is attested from 1943.

venturesome (adj.)

1660s, from venture + -some (1).

Venturi

type of tube, 1887, in reference to Italian physicist G.B. Venturi (1746-1822).

Venus

late Old English, from Latin Venus (plural veneres), in ancient Roman mythology, the goddess of beauty and love, especially sensual love, from venus "love, sexual desire; loveliness, beauty, charm; a beloved object," from PIE root *wen- (1) "to desire, strive for."

Applied by the Romans to Greek Aphrodite, Egyptian Hathor, etc. Applied in English to any beautiful, attractive woman by 1570s. As the name of the most brilliant planet from late 13c., from this sense in Latin (Old English called it morgensteorra and æfensteorra). The venus fly-trap (Dionæa muscipula) was discovered 1760 by Gov. Arthur Dobbs in North Carolina and description sent to Collinson in England. The Central Atlantic Coast Algonquian name for the plant, /titipiwitshik/, yielded regional American English tippity wichity.

venue (n.)

c. 1300, "a coming for the purpose of attack," from Old French venue "coming" (12c.), from fem. past participle of venir "to come," from Latin venire "to come" (from PIE root *gwa- "to go, come"). The sense of "place where a case in law is tried" is first recorded 1530s. Extended to locality in general, especially "site of a concert or sporting event" (1857). Change of venue is from Blackstone (1768).

venule (n.)

"small vein," 1850, from Latin venula, diminutive of vena "vein" (see vein).

Venusian (n.)

"(hypothetical) inhabitant of the second planet from the sun," 1866, from Venus + -ian. Middle English had Venerian "one under the influence of the planet Venus; a lover" (late 14c.).

ver (n.)

"springtime," late 14c., from Old French ver or directly from Latin ver "the spring, spring-time" (see vernal).

ver-

German prefix "denoting destruction, reversal, or completion" [Watkins], from Proto-Germanic *fer-, *far-, from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "through." The native equivalent is for-.

Vera

fem. proper name, from Latin, literally "true" (see very).

veracity (n.)

1620s, from French véracité (17c.), from Medieval Latin veracitatem (nominative veracitas) "truthfulness," from Latin verax (genitive veracis) "truthful," from verus "true" (from PIE root *were-o- "true, trustworthy").

veracious (adj.)

"habitually disposed to speak truth," 1670s, from Latin verac-, stem of verax "according to truth, truthful," from verus "true" (from PIE root *were-o- "true, trustworthy") + -ous.

veranda (n.)

also verandah, 1711, Anglo-Indian, from Hindi varanda, which probably is from Portuguese varanda, originally "long balcony or terrace," of uncertain origin, possibly related to Spanish baranda "railing," and ultimately from Vulgar Latin *barra "barrier, bar." French véranda is borrowed from English.

verb (n.)

"a word that asserts or declares; that part of speech of which the office is predication, and which, either alone or with various modifiers or adjuncts, combines with a subject to make a sentence" [Century Dictionary], late 14c., from Old French verbe "word; word of God; saying; part of speech that expresses action or being" (12c.) and directly from Latin verbum "verb," originally "a word," from PIE root *were- (3) "to speak" (source also of Avestan urvata- "command;" Sanskrit vrata- "command, vow;" Greek rhētōr "public speaker," rhetra "agreement, covenant," eirein "to speak, say;" Hittite weriga- "call, summon;" Lithuanian vardas "name;" Gothic waurd, Old English word "word").

verbage (n.)

variant of verbiage (q.v.).

verbalize (v.)

c. 1600, "use too many words," from French verbaliser (16c.); see verbal. Meaning "express in words" is attested from 1875. Related: Verbalized; verbalizing.

verbalization (n.)

1837, noun of action from verbalize.

verbal (adj.)

early 15c., "dealing with words" (especially in contrast to things or realities), from Old French verbal (14c.) and directly from Late Latin verbalis "consisting of words, relating to verbs," from Latin verbum "word" (see verb). Related: Verbally. Verbal conditioning is recorded from 1954. Colloquial verbal diarrhea is recorded from 1823. A verbal noun is a noun derived from a verb and sharing in its senses and constructions.

verbarian (n.)

"word-coiner," 1873, from Latin verbum "word" (see verb) + -arian. Coleridge (or the friend he was quoting) had used it earlier as an adjective, and with a different sense, in wishing for: "a verbarian Attorney-General, authorised to bring informations ex officio against the writer or editor of any work in extensive circulation, who, after due notice issued, should persevere in misusing a word" (1830).

verbatim (adv.)

late 15c., from Medieval Latin verbatim "word for word," from Latin verbum "word" (see verb). As an adjective from 1737.

verbena (n.)

genus of plants, the vervain, 1560s, from Latin verbena "leaves or twigs of olive, myrtle, laurel, or other sacred plants employed in religious ceremonies," from PIE *werbh- "to turn, bend" (source also of Lithuanian virbas "twig, branch, scion, rod"), from root *wer- (2) "to turn, bend."

verbiage (n.)

"abundance of words," 1721, from French verbiage "wordiness" (17c.), from verbier "to chatter," from Old French verbe "word," from Latin verbum "word" (see verb).

verbicide (n.)

"the killing of a word" by perversion from its original meaning, 1836, from Latin verbum "word" (see verb) + -cide "a killing."

verbiculture (n.)

"the production of words," 1873, from Latin verbum "word" (see verb) + ending from agriculture, etc. Coined by Fitzedward Hall, in "Modern English." He was scolded for it in the "Edinburgh Review."

verbigeration (n.)

"the continual utterance of certain words or phrases, repeated at short intervals, without any reference to their meanings" [Century Dictionary], 1877, earlier in German, noun of action from Late Latin verbigere "to talk, chat, dispute," from Latin verbum (see verb).

verbose (adj.)

"wordy," 1670s, from Latin verbosus "full of words, wordy," from verbum "word" (see verb). Related: Verbosely (c. 1400); verboseness.

verbosity (n.)

1540s, from French verbosité (16c.) or directly from Late Latin verbositas, from Latin verbosus (see verbose).

verboten (adj.)

1912, German, "forbidden," from Old High German farbiotan "to forbid," cognate with forbid (q.v.).

verdant (adj.)

1580s, "green in color; green with vegetation," from French virdeant "becoming green," present participle of Old French verdeiier "become green," from Vulgar Latin *viridiare "grow green, make green," from Latin viridis "green" (see verdure). Related: Verdantly; verdancy.