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vigor

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word vigor

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
2nd half of 1st century BC, Bellum Africum
Ultimate origin
Latin (vigeō)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin vigeo
Latin vigor

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈwɪ.ɡɔr][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈviː.ɡor][1]

Forms

vigor m (genitive vigōris); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin vigeō (“to thrive, be strong”) + -or.[2][1] De Vaan lists it under ⟨vigeō⟩, from Proto-Italic *weg-ē- and Proto-Indo-European *u̯eǵ-eh₁- (“to be strong”), cognate with Sanskrit वाज (vā́ja-, “contest, reward”) and Old High German wahhēn (“to be awake”); its ⟨i⟩ is probably the raising of ⟨e⟩ after a labial.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citation is from the Bellum Africum, of the energy and wonderful cheerfulness on the commander's face,[2][4] and de Vaan dates it from Caesar.[3]

Semantic evolution

Lewis and Short call it chiefly poetic and post-Augustan, not used by Caesar or Cicero.[5] Virgil says sluggish old age does not weaken the vigour of the mind and gives the seeds of life a fiery vigour, and Horace speaks of youth and the vigour of the fathers.[5][2] Vitruvius applies it to the energy of an activity and in the plural to exertions, and Pliny the Elder to the “life” of pearls, which fades with age.[2] In law it is binding force: Ulpian's maxim is that what the emperor has decided “has the force of law”.[2]

Church Latin has it for strength, force and energy.[6] Medieval Latin used it for authority and validity, for protective authority, and for the protected status of the clergy.[7][4] English vigor (c. 1300) came through Anglo-French vigour, Old French vigor.[8]

Timeline

  • 2nd half of 1st century BC – The Bellum Africum of a commander's energy.[2][4]
  • 70–19 BC – Virgil of the vigour of the mind.[2][5][4]
  • c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius of the energy of an activity.[2][4]
  • 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder of the “life” of pearls.[2][4]
  • before 223 AD – Ulpian of the force of law.[2][4]
  • c. 1300 – English vigor, through Anglo-French.[8]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Physical or mental energy, vigour, liveliness; the energy of an action;[2][5][1][6] (plural) exertions.[2][5][1][6]
  2. Of gems, lustre, “life”.[2]
  3. (law) force, validity.[2][7]
  4. (Medieval Latin) authority; protective authority; the protected status of the clergy.[7]

Word family

  • vigōrō

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ a b c Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Vigor.” Etymologically, 19 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/vigor. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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