vendetta

Where does the word "vendetta" come from? It comes from Latin vindicare, passing through Italian before entering English (1855).

Vendetta’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 Italian as vendetta. A blood feud, a long-standing revenge, from vindicare. It reached English by 1855 as vendetta. Italian 'revenge'; Corsican blood feuds made it known in English. Today, vendetta means a long-standing bitter feud or rivalry marked by revenge.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient vindicare "to avenge, to claim", to avenge, to claim, from vim (force) and dicare (to proclaim).
2. Stage 2 · Italian · medieval vendetta "a blood feud, a long-standing revenge", a blood feud, a long-standing revenge, from vindicare.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1855 vendetta "a long-standing feud fueled by revenge", Italian 'revenge'; Corsican blood feuds made it known in English.