Volta
/ˈvoʊl.tə/noun
A turn or bend; also a rapid, lively Renaissance dance.
Did you know?Volta comes through Italian and French from Latin volvere, “to roll/turn,” the same root that gave English revolve, evolve, and involve—language built around motion, looping, and return.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wel-
“to turn, roll, or wind”
Latin
Latin
volvere
“to roll, turn, or cause to revolve”
Late Latin
Latin
volta
“a turn, a rolling movement”
Old Italian
Italian
volta
“a turn; a vault or bend; later, a dance step”
Modern English
English
volta
“a turn, especially in phrasing or movement; also a Renaissance dance”