avenge

Where does the word "avenge" come from? It comes from Latin vindicare, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

Avenge’s story begins in Latin: vindicare meant “to avenge, to claim.” To avenge, to claim, from vim (force) and dicare (to proclaim). By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as vengier. Carried into French for inflicting punishment in return for a wrong. It reached English by 1300s as avenge. Settled as the English word for inflicting harm in return for a wrong done. Today, avenge means to inflict punishment or harm on someone in return for a wrong they committed.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient vindicare "to avenge, to claim", to avenge, to claim, from vim (force) and dicare (to proclaim).
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval vengier "to inflict punishment in return for a wrong", carried into French for inflicting punishment in return for a wrong.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s avenge "to inflict harm on someone in return for a wrong they did", settled as the English word for inflicting harm in return for a wrong done.