Where does “victual” come from?
Victual comes from Middle English vitaile, from Old French vitaile, from Latin victualia, derived from Latin victus and the suffix -alis, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European gʷeih₃w-.
victual (English): Food fit for human consumption; Food supplies;...
Definitions
- Food fit for human consumption; Food supplies;...
Ancestry of “victual”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | vitaile | That which provides nutrition; food, nourishment;... |
| 2 | Old French | vitaile | provisions; vittle; food |
| 3 | Latin | victuālia | — |
| 4 | Latin | victuālis | nutritional |
| 5 | Latin | victus | living, way of life, lifestyle; nourishment,... |
| 6 | Latin | vīvō | to live |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | gʷīwō | live, be alive |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷíh₃weti | to live, to be alive |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷih₃wós | alive, living |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷeih₃w- | to live |