Vote
/voʊt/noun
A formal choice or expression of preference in an election or decision.
Did you know?Vote comes from Latin vōtum, meaning a vow or solemn promise, so the word’s deepest history is about binding words, not just counting choices.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*u̯eh₂-
“to wish, will, or desire”
Latin
Latin
vōtum
“a vow, solemn promise, or thing promised to a deity”
Latin
Latin
vōtāre
“to vow, promise, or wish for”
Old French
Old French
vot
“a vow or wish”
Middle English
English
vote
“a formal expression of a wish or choice in a decision or election”
Modern English
English
vote
“a formal choice or expression of preference in an election or decision”