Etymologically
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vigil

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈwɪ.ɡɪɫ][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈviː.d͡ʒil][1]

Forms

vigil (genitive vigilis); third-declension one-termination adjective[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *weglis, from Proto-Indo-European *weǵlis, from the root Proto-Indo-European *weǵ- (“to be strong, lively, awake”) of vegeō and vigeō “to be lively”.[1][2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Virgil, whom he dates 70–19 BC.[3] The OLD cites Horace and Lucretius for the adjective.[2]

Semantic evolution

As an adjective it meant awake while others sleep, wakeful, watchful, as in Horace and Virgil, of things such as Virgil's ever-burning fire, and alert, vigilant.[2][4] As a noun it meant a watchman, sentry, guard, and specifically a member of the vigilēs, the fire brigade and night watch organized by Augustus at Rome, as in Seneca.[2][3] Döderlein says vigil is being awake by will and energy, while īnsomnis is merely sleepless.[5]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant watchful, alert; as a noun a sentinel, watchman.[6] In Medieval Latin it meant a sentry or nightwatchman.[7] It survives in Romanian veghe “watch”.[1] English vigil comes from its noun vigilia “watch”, in the mid-13th century, and English vigilant from its verb vigilō.[8]

Timeline

  • 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of watchfulness.[3]
  • 65–8 BC – Horace uses it of wakefulness.[2][3]
  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it as a noun.[3]
  • 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it of the night watch.[2][3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Awake, wakeful, watchful.[2]
  2. Alert, vigilant.[2]

Noun

  1. A watchman, sentry.[2]
  2. (plural) The night watch and fire brigade of Rome.[2]

Word family

  • vigeō
  • English vigil
  • English vigilant

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  5. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
  6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
  8. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com