Vesper
/ΛvΙs.pΙr/noun
The evening star, especially Venus as it appears at dusk; also, evening prayer in Christian liturgy.
Did you know?The word passed through Latin from an older Indo-European root tied to evening, and in Christian tradition it became the name of a formal sunset prayer service, Vespers.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wes-
βto dwell, stay; also associated with evening through the idea of settling downβ
Proto-Italic
PI
*wesperos
βeveningβ
Latin
Latin
vesper
βevening; the evening starβ
Late Latin
Latin
vespera
βevening, evening prayerβ
Old French
Old French
vespre
βevening prayer; eveningβ
Middle English
English
vespere
βevening prayer; duskβ
Modern English
English
vesper
βthe evening star; an evening prayer serviceβ