vendetta English · revision 1240

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /vɛnˈdɛtə/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|it|vendetta|t=revenge, blood feud]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[der|la|vindicta|t=vengeance, revenge]].^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) It is related to [[vindictive]] and [[vindication]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A hereditary family blood feud, as customary in Corsica and parts of Italy (1846 in Etymonline;^(Etymonline) 1855 in the OED, Barnhart and Merriam-Webster).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The word was soon applied to similar blood feuds in other communities (1861)^(OED 1989) and then to any prolonged and bitter feud or campaign of hostility, as in ''a political vendetta''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1846 – a family blood feud, per Etymonline.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1855 – a Corsican or Italian blood feud.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1861 – a blood feud elsewhere.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1904 – ''vendettist''.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[blood feud]] between families or clans, carried on by acts of revenge.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A prolonged, bitter feud or campaign of hostility.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A personal grudge against someone.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[vendettist]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[vindictive]]

+ * [[vindicate]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}