Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “vague” come from?

Vague comes from Middle French vague, from Latin vagus meaning wandering or unsettled, ultimately from Proto-Italic wagos.

vague (English): Not clearly expressed; stated in indefinite...

Definitions

  1. Not clearly expressed; stated in indefinite...

Ancestry of “vague”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchvague—
2Old Frenchvaguemovement on the surface of a liquid, ripple
3Old Norsevágrocean, sea; inlet, bay
4Proto-Germanicwēgazwave; sea
5Proto-Indo-Europeanweǵʰ-to bring; to transport

Words derived from “vague”

  • vaguely
  • vagueness
  • nonvague
  • vaguery
  • vaguish
  • unvague
  • nonvagueness
  • vaguer
  • vagueish
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weǵʰ- →