English
vim
Vim may come from Latin vim.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvimuncertain
- Englishearliest quotation 1843same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvimuncertain
- Englishearliest quotation 1843same form
Earliest quotation: 1843, The Woodsman [Concluded.]: “But he was, doubtless, totally unconscious that he was…”
The story
Possibly from Latin vim, accusative singular of vīs (‘force, power, strength; (New Latin) energy, force’) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *weyh₁- (‘to chase, pursue’); compare English vis); but perhaps a modern expressive formation.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *weyh₁- ‘to chase, pursue’
previous, obvious, virtual, voyage, inevitable, convey, virtue, envoy, trivial, deviation, trivia, virtuous, venison, wer, deviant, ochre, virtuoso, viaduct, virile, virility, trivium, obviate, virago, 54 more
through Latin vīs ‘force, power, strength’
violent, violation, violate, vis, inviolable, violator, 1 more
through Latin vim
Today it means
noun Ready vitality and vigour.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin vim / vim