Etymology

vocabulary

vo·cab·u·lary
V4O1C3A1B3U1L1A1R1Y4

Today it means: A usually alphabetized and explained collection of words e.g. of a particular field, or prepared for a specific purpose, often for learning. Full definition →

Medieval Latin vocābulārium ← Latin vocābulum ← Proto-Indo-European *wokʷ-
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*wekʷ-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*wokʷ-
  3. Latinvoc(ā)
  4. Latinvocābulum
  5. Medieval Latinvocābulārium
  6. English todayvocabulary

Learned borrowing from Medieval Latin vocābulārium. Doublet of vocabularium.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.