THE ETYMOLOGY NERD
  • Home
  • Blog
    • Word Archives
  • Infographics
  • Videos
  • MORE
    • Retail Reviews
    • Cartoons
    • Clarifications
    • Resources
    • Accomplishments

CHANGING VICISSITUDE

1/14/2019

0 Comments

 
Vicissitude is a rather euphonious word describing a negative development of any type. It was borrowed in the 1560s from Middle French and became very popular until it really dropped in usage after 1900. The Middle French word was borrowed from Latin vicissitudinem, which meant "alteration", and the root of that is vicis, "change" (this is also the etymon of the Spanish and French words for "time", vez and fois, respectively). Vicis is thought to be from the Proto-Indo-European reconstrction weik, which was a verb with a general meaning of "bend", through a connection of "turning". Weik spawned a whole litany of other terms, like the vice in vice versa or vice president and villa, among others. Such interesting developments and none of them negative- I guess you could say the etymology of vicissitude is far from vicissitudinous!
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    AUTHOR

    Picture
    Adam Aleksic is a 217-month-old, 2800-ounce high school senior with disturbing interests in etymology, vexillology, geography, board games, and law. Adam is anxiously awaiting his college rejections and loves writing about himself in the third person.
      Please check the word archives first
    Submit
    CONFUSED?
      

    Archives

    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016

    The Etymology Nerd

Picture

A lexophile's sanctum - Over 90,000 served!

Home • Blog • Interesting Infographics • Retail Reviews • Cartoons • Clarifications • Word Archives • Resources • Accomplishments
CONTACT: etymologynerd@gmail.com
TWITTER • INSTAGRAM • YOUTUBE • RSS
  • Home
  • Blog
    • Word Archives
  • Infographics
  • Videos
  • MORE
    • Retail Reviews
    • Cartoons
    • Clarifications
    • Resources
    • Accomplishments