Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “vittle” come from?

vittle (English) comes from English victual, from Middle English vitaile, from Old French vitaile, from Latin victuālia, from Latin victuālis, from Latin victus, from Latin vīvō, from Proto-Italic gʷīwō — to live.

vittle (English): Food; Food; edible provisions; To provide or...

Definitions

  1. Food; Food; edible provisions; To provide or...

Ancestry of “vittle”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishvictualFood fit for human consumption; Food supplies;...
2Middle EnglishvitaileThat which provides nutrition; food, nourishment;...
3Old Frenchvitaileprovisions; vittle; food
4Latinvictuālia—
5Latinvictuālis—
6Latinvictusliving, way of life, lifestyle; nourishment,...
7Latinvīvō—
8Proto-Italicgʷīwōlive, be alive
9Proto-Indo-Europeangʷíh₃wetito live, to be alive
10Proto-Indo-Europeangʷih₃wósalive, living
11Proto-Indo-Europeangʷeih₃w-to live
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷeih₃w- →