vow
/vaʊ/
noun
Origin
Latin
votum — a promise, a vow, a wish, or a thing promised
Overview
Meaning Now
- A solemn promise, pledge, or personal commitment to perform some act or behave in a specified manner.
- A formal religious or ecclesiastical promise, such as the vows taken by a monk or nun.
Literal older meaning
a solemn promise
Language path
Latin → Old French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
vou
Earliest period
13th century
Journey
The term is fundamentally linked to Roman religious practices where 'vota' were promises made to gods in exchange for specific favors. In the Christian context, this evolved into the concept of monastic vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
Evolution
- Latin
votum
“solemn promise or offering to a deity”
- Old French
vou
“solemn promise”
Derived from the accusative of votum.
- Middle English
vow
“a solemn promise”
Adopted into Middle English as a noun denoting sacred commitments.
Connections
Word parts
vow
root
promise
Related across languages
French
vœu
vow, wish
Spanish
voto
vow, vote
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Related to vow
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.