vault English · revision 14990

+ Vault, an arched roof, and vault, a leap, both go back to Latin volvere, to turn, but came into English separately.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /vɔːlt/, /vɒlt/, US /vɑːlt/, /vɔːlt/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ {{homograph|1|arched roof}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=probably before 1300|origins=la volvō}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The arched roof is [[inh|enm|vaute]], [[bor|fro|voute|t=vault, arch, vaulted roof]] (modern [[fr|voûte]]),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024) from [[la-vul|*volta]], contracted from [[m|la-vul|*volvita]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) an alteration of [[la|volūtus|t=bowed, arched]], the past participle of [[m|la|volvō|t=to turn, roll]] (see [[volume]]),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) from [[ine-pro|*wel-|t=to turn, revolve]].^(Etymonline) The l, first written about 1400, imitates the Latin and later changed the pronunciation, as in [[fault]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ An arched ceiling or roof: probably before 1300 in Barnhart, about 1300 in Etymonline, 1387 in the OED; at first especially an underground arched chamber.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ An enclosed arched space, especially underground, is from 1396–7,^(OED 1989) and a church crypt from about 1400.^(OED 1989) A cellar for provisions or wine is from 1500,^(OED 1989) and a burial chamber from before 1548.^(OED 1989) The vault of heaven, the sky, is poetic from before 1586.^(OED 1989) A strongroom for valuables is a vault in modern use.^(Collins 2023)^(AHD) The verb, to cover with a vault, is from the 14th century.^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * probably before 1300 – an arched roof.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1396–7 – an underground chamber.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1400 – the spelling with l.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1500 – a cellar.^(OED 1989)

+ * before 1548 – a burial vault.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An arched structure forming a roof or ceiling.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A room with an arched roof, especially a cellar or underground storeroom.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A burial chamber.^(Collins 2023)^(OED 1989)

+ # A strongroom for keeping valuables.^(Collins 2023)

+ # Something arched like a vault, such as the sky.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To cover with a vault, or to build in the shape of an arch.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[vaulted]]

+ * [[vaulting]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|leap}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1538|origins=la volvō}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The leap is [[bor|frm|volter|t=to gambol, leap]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024) from [[it|voltare|t=to turn]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from [[la-vul|*volvitō|t=to turn, leap]], a frequentative of [[la|volvō|t=to turn, roll]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) Its spelling was assimilated to the arched-roof vault.^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To jump or leap over: 1538 in Barnhart, the 1530s in Etymonline; at first, to leap onto a horse.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Intransitive use is from the 1560s,^(Etymonline) and to leap with the help of the hands or a pole from the 17th century.^(Hoad 1986) The noun, a leap, is from 1576.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024) ''Vaulting'', overreaching, is from Shakespeare's Macbeth (1605).^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1538 – to vault (verb).^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1576 – a vault, a leap.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1605 – vaulting ambition.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To jump over something, especially using the hands or a pole.^(AHD)

+ # To achieve something suddenly, as if by leaping.^(AHD)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # An act of vaulting; a jump.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[pole vault]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[volume]]

+ * [[revolve]]

+ * [[voluble]]

+ * [[volute]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}