Etymologically
Log in

vinco

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 15 October 2026 at 20:26. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈwɪŋ.koː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈviŋ.ko][1]

Forms

vincō (present infinitive vincere, perfect active vīcī, supine victum); third conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *wink- (“to tie, bind”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *ui-n-k- (“to bend, tie”).[2] De Vaan thinks it probably shares its root with vinciō “to bind”, since “to bend” easily becomes “to overcome” for the one who bends the other.[2] Wiktionary gives the root as Proto-Indo-European *weyk- (“to overcome”).[1]

Cognate with Old Irish fichid (“fights”) and Gothic 𐍅𐌴𐌹𐌷𐌰𐌽 (weihan, “to fight”).[2][1] Oscan uincter is probably borrowed from Latin.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Naevius onwards.[2] Ennius has the oracle that “you can conquer the Romans”.[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant to defeat in war, to overcome in a fight, as Plautus' “unless he beats me with his fists”, to beat in a game or race, and to get the better of someone in a dispute or a lawsuit.[3] It meant to subdue the mind or will, to overcome things and conditions, as stones worn down by age in Lucretius, and to surpass, as well as to outbid.[3]

Döderlein contrasts it, driving an opponent from his place, with superare, winning a place from him.[4] Its derivatives include victor and victōria.[2] Romance kept it, as French vaincre, and English vanquish came from the French in the mid-14th century.[1][5]

Timeline

  • c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it.[2][6]
  • 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of conquering the Romans.[3][6]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a fistfight and of outbidding.[3][6]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of losing a lawsuit.[3][6]
  • mid-14th century – English vanquish is recorded.[5]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To conquer, defeat (in war), (intransitive) to win.[3][1]
  2. To overcome (in a fight).[3]
  3. To beat (in a contest).[3]
  4. To prevail over (in a dispute); to win a lawsuit against.[3]
  5. To subdue, overcome (the mind, the will).[3][1]
  6. To overcome (things, conditions).[3]
  7. To surpass, outdo.[3]
  8. To outbid.[3]

Word family

  • convincō
  • dēvincō
  • ēvincō
  • pervincō
  • prōvincō
  • revincō
  • victor

Usage notes

Döderlein says vincere has more to do with living opponents, superare with lifeless obstacles.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  3. ^ 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
  4. ^ a b Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
  5. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  6. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de