vernacular

Where does the word "vernacular" come from? It comes from Latin vernaculus, and was adopted directly into English (1600s).

Vernacular’s story begins in Latin: vernaculus meant “native, domestic.” Domestic, native, from verna (a slave born in the master's household). It reached English by 1600s as vernacular. Settled as the English word for the native language of a region or group. Today, vernacular means the ordinary, everyday language spoken by the people of a region or group.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient vernaculus "native, domestic", domestic, native, from verna (a slave born in the master's household).
2. Stage 2 · English · 1600s vernacular "the everyday language spoken by ordinary people", settled as the English word for the native language of a region or group.