victor

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈvɪk.tə(ɹ)/^[1]

Etymology

It is Middle English victour, borrowed from Anglo-Norman victor, victour (Old French victeur), and directly Latin victor (“a conqueror”),^[2][3][4] an agent noun from vict-, the past participle stem of vincere (“to conquer, defeat”),^[2][3][5] akin to Old English wīgan, to fight.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

One who overcomes an adversary in battle: before 1340 in the OED, about 1340 in Barnhart, the mid-14th century in Etymonline.^[6][2][3]

Semantic evolution

One who wins any contest or struggle is from before 1400.^[6][3] In Scottish schools the victor was the top pupil, the dux (1651), and a victor penny was a fee paid to the schoolmaster (1525).^[6] Feminine forms include victrice (late 14th century), victoress (Spenser), victress (Shakespeare) and victrix (1650s).^[3] In radio communication Victor is a code word for the letter V (1942).^[5]

Timeline

• before 1340 – a conqueror.^[6]
• before 1400 – the winner of any contest.^[6]
• 1525 – victor penny.^[6]
• 1942 – the code word for V.^[5]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. The winner of a battle, contest or struggle.

Word family

• victress

Related words

• victorious
• victory
• victrix
• convict
• convince
• evince
• vanquish

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
3. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b c d Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
6. ^ a b c d e f Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press