Where does “vates” come from?

vates (English) comes from Latin vātēs, from Proto-Indo-European weh₂t- — excited, inspired; possessed, raging.

vates (English): A poet or bard who is divinely inspired

Definitions

  1. A poet or bard who is divinely inspired

Ancestry of “vates”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinvātēsseer, soothsayer, diviner, prophet, prophetess
2Proto-Indo-Europeanweh₂t-excited, inspired; possessed, raging
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weh₂t- →Every word from Latin vātēs →
vates — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer