English
vitriol
Vitriol comes from Medieval Latin vitriolum ‘sulfuric acid’, and goes back to vitrum ‘glass’.
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500vitrum‘glass’
- Medieval Latin, derivedc. 600–1500vitriolum‘sulfuric acid’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400vitriol
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 1807same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500vitrum‘glass’
- Medieval Latin, derivedc. 600–1500vitriolum‘sulfuric acid’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400vitriol
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 1807same form
Earliest quotation: 1807, A New and Complete Encyclopaedia; or, Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences: Vol III: “CRYSTALS of Venus or of copper, called also vitriol…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *wed- ‘water’
water, wet, wash, und, abundance, vodka, surround, abundant, hydro, redundant, otter, hydrate, aldehyde, hydride, vedra, inundate, undine, 44 more
through Medieval Latin vitrum ‘glass’
Today it means
noun Any of various metal sulphates.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Medieval Latin vitrum / vitriol