victor English · revision 7237

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1340|origins=la vinco}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈvɪk.tə(ɹ)/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English victour, [[bor|xno|victor]], victour (Old French victeur), and directly Latin [[m|la|victor|t=a conqueror]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) an agent noun from vict-, the past participle stem of [[m|la|vinco|alt=vincere|t=to conquer, defeat]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) akin to Old English wīgan, to fight.^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ One who overcomes an adversary in battle: before 1340 in the OED, about 1340 in Barnhart, the mid-14th century in Etymonline.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ One who wins any contest or struggle is from before 1400.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) In Scottish schools the victor was the top pupil, the dux (1651), and a ''victor penny'' was a fee paid to the schoolmaster (1525).^(OED 1989) Feminine forms include victrice (late 14th century), victoress (Spenser), victress (Shakespeare) and victrix (1650s).^(Etymonline) In radio communication Victor is a code word for the letter V (1942).^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1340 – a conqueror.^(OED 1989)

+ * before 1400 – the winner of any contest.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1525 – victor penny.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1942 – the code word for V.^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The winner of a [[battle]], contest or struggle.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[victress]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[victorious]]

+ * [[victory]]

+ * [[victrix]]

+ * [[convict]]

+ * [[convince]]

+ * [[evince]]

+ * [[vanquish]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}