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Origin and history of vetch

vetch(n.)

climbing leguminous herb, mid-14c., fecche, from Anglo-French veche, Old North French veche, variants of Old French vece, from Latin vicia "vetch," which perhaps is related to vincire "to bind" (compare second element of periwinkle (n.1)). Dutch wikke, German Wicke are loan-words from Latin vicia. Related: Vetchy.

also from mid-14c.

Entries linking to vetch

periwinkle(n.1)

trailing evergreen plant with starry flowers, c. 1500, from Middle English pervinkle (early 14c. as a surname), a diminutive of parvink, pervink (12c.), which is from Old English perwince, pervince, from Late Latin pervinca "periwinkle," which is perhaps from Latin pervincire "to entwine, bind," from per "thoroughly" (see per) + vincire "to bind, fetter" (see wind (v.1)). Altered by association with words in peri-. In Middle English it was figurative of beauty, also a paragon, but also evil.

*weik-(2)

also *weig-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to bend, to wind."

It might form all or part of: vetch; vicar; vicarious; vice- "deputy, assistant, substitute;" viceregent; vice versa; vicissitude; weak; weakfish; week; wicker; wicket; witch hazel; wych.

It might also be the source of: Sanskrit visti "changing, changeable;" Old English wac "weak, pliant, soft," wician "to give way, yield," wice "wych elm," Old Norse vikja "to bend, turn," Swedish viker "willow twig, wand," German wechsel "change."

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    Trends of vetch

    adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/ with a 7-year moving average; ngrams are probably unreliable.

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