Etymology Map
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Vehicle

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means a thing used for transporting people or goods; a means of expression

Where does the word "vehicle" come from? It comes from Latin vehiculum, passing through French before entering English (1610s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
vehiculum
Latin · classical
"carriage, cart"
from vehere 'to carry'; Julius Caesar's laws banned most carts from Rome's streets by day
2
Stage 2 of 3
véhicule
French · 1500s
"medium; carriage"
revived from Latin, first as the liquid that carries a medicine
3
Stage 3 of 3
vehicle
English · 1610s
"means of transport"
Britain's Motor Car Act of 1903 required motor vehicles to be registered and carry number plates
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Read the full story

Vehicle’s story begins in Latin: vehiculum meant “carriage, cart.” From vehere 'to carry'; Julius Caesar's laws banned most carts from Rome's streets by day. By 1500s, the word had taken hold in French as véhicule. Revived from Latin, first as the liquid that carries a medicine. It reached English by 1610s as vehicle. Britain's Motor Car Act of 1903 required motor vehicles to be registered and carry number plates. Today, vehicle means a thing used for transporting people or goods; a means of expression.