Venus
/ˈviːnəs/noun
The Roman goddess of love and beauty, and the second planet from the Sun.
Did you know?The planet Venus was named for the Roman goddess because it shines brighter than any other planet, and the same divine name also lives on in the word *venereal*, originally tied to Venus as the goddess of sexual love.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wenh₁-
“to desire, strive for, love”
Latin
Latin
Vēnus
“Roman goddess of love, beauty, sexual desire, and fertility”
Latin
Latin
vēnus
“desire, sexual love”
Old French
Old French
Venus
“the goddess Venus; later used in learned and poetic contexts”
Middle English
English
Venus
“the Roman goddess; later the bright planet named for her”
Modern English
English
Venus
“the Roman goddess of love and beauty; the second planet from the Sun”