Vanquish
/ˈvæŋ.kwɪʃ/noun
To defeat thoroughly or put an end to the power of an opponent.
Did you know?Vanquish entered English through Old French after being reshaped by Latin influence, and its deep ancestry is tied to a root meaning “to conquer,” the same ancient force behind several words of rule, victory, and domination.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wenkʷ-
“to strive for, win, or conquer”
Latin
Latin
vincere
“to conquer, defeat, overcome”
Vulgar Latin
VL
*vincāre
“to subdue, overcome”
Old French
OF
vainquir
“to conquer, defeat”
Middle English
English
vanquisshen
“to defeat or overcome”
Modern English
English
vanquish
“to defeat thoroughly or subdue completely”