Vengeance
/ˈvɛn.dʒəns/noun
Punishment inflicted in retaliation for an injury or wrong.
Did you know?Vengeance comes through Old French from Latin vindicāre, a legal verb tied to claiming, avenging, and asserting one’s right, which is why the word has always carried the weight of both law and blood-feud.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*weik-
“to fight, conquer, or overcome”
Latin
Latin
vindex
“a claimant, avenger, defender, or one who asserts a right”
Latin
Latin
vindicāre
“to lay claim to, avenge, punish, or set free”
Old French
Old French
vengeance
“revenge, retaliation”
Middle English
English
vengeaunce
“revenge, retribution”
Modern English
English
vengeance
“punishment inflicted in retaliation for a wrong”
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