Where does “break-vow” come from?

break-vow (English) comes from English vow, from Middle English vowe, from Old French vut, from Latin vōtum, from Latin votus, from Latin vovere, from Latin voveo, from Proto-Italic wogʷeō — to promise, to vow; to praise.

break-vow (English): An untrustworthy person; someone who habitually breaks vows and promises

Definitions

  1. An untrustworthy person; someone who habitually breaks vows and promises

Ancestry of “break-vow”, step by step

break-vow traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English vow

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishvowA solemn promise to perform some act, or behave...
2Middle Englishvowe
3Old Frenchvutwish; dire; want
4Latinvōtumpromise, dedication, vow, solemn pledge
5Latinvotusvowed, promised; devoted to (a deity); having been vowed
6Latinvoverethird-person plural perfect active indicative of...
7LatinvoveoI vow, promise; I dedicate or devote to a deity;...
8Proto-ItalicwogʷeōI vow, promise; dedicate or devote to a deity; I...
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁wegʷʰ-to promise, to vow; to praise

via English break

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbreakTo separate into two or more pieces, to fracture...
2Middle Englishbrekento break
3Old Englishbrecanto break; to break into a place
4Proto-West Germanicbrekanto break
5Proto-Germanicbrekanąto break
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰrēǵ-to shine, shimmer
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁wegʷʰ-
break-vow — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer