vowel

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

Vowel’s story begins in Latin: vox meant “voice.” Voice, combined into vocalis (sounding, of the voice). Within Latin, it grew into vocalis by ancient. A letter that sounds by itself, from vox (voice). From there it passed into Old French as vouel by medieval. Carried into French for a sounding letter. It reached English by 1300s as vowel. Settled as the English word for a speech sound made with an open vocal tract. Today, vowel means a speech sound produced without blocking airflow, or a letter representing such a sound.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient vox "voice", voice, combined into vocalis (sounding, of the voice).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient vocalis "a letter that sounds by itself", a letter that sounds by itself, from vox (voice).
3. Stage 3 · Old French · medieval vouel "a sounding letter", carried into French for a sounding letter.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1300s vowel "a speech sound made with an open vocal tract", settled as the English word for a speech sound made with an open vocal tract.