English
van
Short for caravan.
Another origin of van
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂weh₁-‘to blow’uncertain
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*watnosuncertain
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvannus‘a van, or fan for winnowing grain’
- Englishtodayvan
Today it means
noun A covered motor vehicle used to carry goods or (normally less than ten) persons, usually roughly cuboid in shape, Depending on the type of van, it can be bigger or smaller than a pickup truck and SUV, and longer and higher than a car but relatively smaller than a truck/lorry or a bus.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / van