英语词源字典 - 在线词源网站

vandyke (n.)[vandyke 词源字典]: "short, pointed beard," 1894, from the style shown on portraits by Flemish painter Anton Van Dyck (1599-1641); earlier "a type of collar with a deep cut edge" (1755) also from a style depicted in his paintings.[vandyke etymology, vandyke origin, 英语词源]
vane (n.): "plate metal wind indicator," early 15c., southern England alteration (see V) of fane "flag, banner."
Vanessa: fem. proper name, also the name of a butterfly genus. As a name, not much used in U.S. before 1950. It appears to have been coined by Swift c. 1711 as a pseudonym for Esther Vanhomrigh, who was romantically attached to him, and composed of elements of her name. He used it in private correspondence and published it in the poem "Cadenus and Vanessa" (1713).
The name Cadenus is an anagram of Decanus; that of Vanessa is formed much in the same way, by placing the first syllable of her sir-name before her christian-name, Hessy. [William Monck Mason, "History and Antiquities of the Collegiate and Cathedral Church of St. Patrick, Near Dublin," 1820]
As the name of a genus of butterflies that includes the Red Admiral and the Painted Lady, it dates to 1808, chosen by Danish entomologist Johan Christian Fabricius (1745-1808) for unknown reasons. He has no obvious connection to Swift, and the theory that it was intended for *Phanessa, from Greek phanes "a mystical divinity in the Orphic system" does no honor to his classical learning.
vanguard (n.): mid-15c., vaunt garde, from Middle French avant-garde, from avant "in front" (see avant) + garde "guard" (see guard (n.)). Communist revolutionary sense is recorded from 1928.
vanilla (n.): 1660s, "pod of the vanilla plant," from Spanish vainilla "vanilla plant," literally "little pod," diminutive of vaina "sheath," from Latin vagina "sheath of an ear of grain, hull of a plant" (see vagina). So called from the shape of the pods. European discovery 1521 by Hernando Cortes' soldiers on reconnaissance in southeastern Mexico. Meaning "flavoring extracted from the vanilla bean" is attested by 1728. Meaning "conventional, of ordinary sexual preferences" is 1970s, from notion of whiteness and the common choice of vanilla ice cream.
vanillin (n.): substance prepared from fruit of the vanilla plant, 1859, from vanilla + -in (2).
vaniloquence (n.): "idle talk," 1620s, from Latin vaniloquentia, from vanus "idle, empty" (see vain) + loquens, from loqui "to speak" (see locution).
vanish (v.): "disappear quickly," c. 1300, from shortened form of esvaniss-, stem of Old French esvanir "disappear; cause to disappear," from Vulgar Latin *exvanire, from Latin evanescere "disappear, pass away, die out," from ex- "out" (see ex-) + vanescere "vanish," inchoative verb from vanus "empty" (see vain). Related: Vanished; vanishing; vanishingly. Vanishing point in perspective drawing is recorded from 1797.
vanity (n.): c. 1200, "that which is vain, futile, or worthless," from Old French vanite "self-conceit; futility; lack of resolve" (12c.), from Latin vanitatem (nominative vanitas) "emptiness, aimlessness; falsity," figuratively "vainglory, foolish pride," from vanus "empty, vain, idle" (see vain). Meaning "self-conceited" in English is attested from mid-14c. Vanity table is attested from 1936. Vanity Fair is from "Pilgrim's Progress" (1678).
vanquish (v.): mid-14c., "to defeat in battle, conquer," from Old French venquis-, extended stem of veintre "to defeat," from Latin vincere "defeat" (see victor). Influenced in Middle English by Middle French vainquiss-, present stem of vainquir "conquer," from Old French vainkir, alteration of veintre. Related: Vanquished; vanquishing.
vantage (n.): early 14c., "advantage, profit," from Anglo-French vantage, from Old French avantage "advantage, profit, superiority" (see advantage). Vantage point "favorable position" attested from 1865; a similar notion was in earlier vantage ground (1610s).
vapid (adj.): 1650s, "flat, insipid" (of drinks), from Latin vapidus "flat, insipid," literally "that has exhaled its vapor," related to vappa "stale wine," and probably to vapor "vapor." Applied from 1758 to talk and writing deemed dull and lifeless. Related: Vapidly; vapidness.
vapidity (n.): 1721, from vapid + -ity.
vapor (n.): late 14c., from Anglo-French vapour, Old French vapor "moisture, vapor" (13c., Modern French vapeur) and directly from Latin vaporem (nominative vapor) "a warm exhalation, steam, heat," of unknown origin. Vapors "fit of fainting, hysteria, etc." is 1660s, from medieval notion of "exhalations" from the stomach or other organs affecting the brain.
vaporetto (n.): Venetian public transit canal-motorboat, 1926, from Italian vaporetto, diminutive of vapore "steam," from Latin vapor (see vapor (n.)).
vaporization (n.): also vaporisation, 1788, noun of action from vaporize. In same sense Middle English had vaporacioun (late 14c.).
vaporize (v.): 1630s, "to smoke" (tobacco), from vapor + -ize. Later "convert into vapor, cause to become vapor" (1803), and "spray with fine mist" (1900). Intransitive sense "become vaporous" is from 1828. Related: Vaporized; vaporizing. An earlier verb was simply vapor (c. 1400, transitive and intransitive), from Latin vaporare.
vaporizer (n.): 1846, agent noun from vaporize.
vaporous (adj.): late 14c., from Late Latin vaporosus "full of steam," from Latin vaporus, from vapor (see vapor).
vapour (n.): chiefly British English spelling of vapor; see -or.