Vindictive
/vɪnˈdɪk.tɪv/noun
Having or showing a strong desire for revenge.
Did you know?Vindictive ultimately comes from Latin *vindicāre*, a verb tied to legal claim and defense, so the word’s ancestry is closer to courtroom power than pure hatred.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*weyd-
“to see, know”
Latin
Latin
vindex
“a claimant, defender, avenger”
Latin
Latin
vindicāre
“to lay claim to, defend, avenge”
Late Latin
Latin
vindictīvus
“serving to avenge or claim”
Middle English
English
vindicatife
“disposed to revenge”
Modern English
English
vindictive
“disposed to seek revenge”
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