vainglory

The story

1. Latin · derived fromvāna“empty, groundless, boastful”
2. Medieval Latin · derived fromvāna glōria
3. Old French · derived fromvaine glorie
4. Middle English · inherited fromwaynglori“worthless glory”
5. English todayvainglory

From Middle English waynglori (“worthless glory”), from Old French vaine glorie, from Medieval Latin vāna glōria, from Latin vāna (“empty, groundless, boastful”) + glōria (“fame, ambition, boasting”), apparently modelled after similar terms in Germanic languages. Compare Old English īdel wuldor (“vain glory”) and īdelġielp (“vainglory”).