Word origins

• Val-d'OrA town in Quebec, Canada.
• ValentienA surname from French.
• ValentonA commune in Val-de-Marne department, Île-de-France, France.
• ValerianeA female given name from French, of rare usage.
• valet-de-chambreThe personal servant of a monarch.
• valet-de-placeIn France, a person who offered his services as a guide, messenger, etc. for hire, especially to strangers.
• valinchA pipette-like tube for drawing liquor from a cask through the bung-hole.
• Val MarieA village in the Rural Municipality of Val Marie, Saskatchewan, Canada.
• ValprivasA village in Haute-Loire department, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France.
• vamplateA round of iron on the shaft of a tilting lance, to stabilize and protect the hand.
• VanconA surname from French.
• van-courierSomeone sent in advance; an avant-courier, precursor, or scout.
• vancourierA precursor; one who comes before, or who leads a change.
• Vang ViengA city in Vientiane Province, Laos.
• vansireAn ichneumon, Atilax paludinosus (syn. Herpestes galera), native to Africa and Madagascar. It is reddish brown or dark brown, grizzled with white.
• vaporationevaporation
• varecThe incinerated ash of certain coarse seaweeds, formerly used for the production of soda and iodine, among other compounds.
• vareuseA military tunic.
• varisseAn imperfection on the inside of the hind leg in horses, different from a curb, but at the same height, and often growing to an unsightly size.
• VarsovianOf, from or pertaining to Warsaw.
• vasquineA type of frock worn in Spain between the 17th and 19th centuries.
• vauntmureA false wall raised in front of the main wall as a fortification.
• vaurienA good-for-nothing; a scoundrel.
• vavangueVangueria madagascariensis, a flowering plant with a large orange edible fruit.
• vavasoryThe quality or tenure of the fee held by a vavasour.
• VaxelaireA surname from French [in turn from Alemannic German].
• VègreA river, a right tributary of the Sarthe, having its source near Rouessé-Vassé, its generally southward course in the Sarthe department, France, and its mouth near Avoise.
• VeilletteA surname from French.
• veinageveining; veins collectively
• veloutéA mother sauce in French cuisine, consisting of a light stock thickened with a blond roux.
• velteAn old French unit of liquid measure, approximately 7.617 litres.
• vendangeThe annual grape harvest, especially in France.
• VendéeA department of Pays de la Loire, France. Capital: La Roche-sur-Yon.
• VendémiaireThe first month of the French Republican Calendar, starting on the date of the autumnal equinox (September 22, 23 or 24) and ending on October 21, 22 or 23.
• vendeuseA saleswoman in a fashionable clothing store.
• VendômeA town and commune of Loir-et-Cher department, Centre-Val de Loire, France.
• veneurA huntsman, especially in France.
• veninSynonym of venom.
• vennelAn alley; a narrow street.
• ventifactA pebble or little stone shaped and polished by wind-blown sand.
• VentôseThe sixth month of the French Republican Calendar, from February 19, 20 or 21 to March 20 or 21.
• ventre à terreAt breakneck speed.
• Venus de MiloAn ancient Greek sculpture believed to depict Aphrodite (Venus to Romans).
• venyA strike or blow.
• veraisonA stage in the ripening process of grapes or olives. It is the relatively short period during which the firm, green berries begin to soften and change colour.
• verdailleA method of painting or other work which employs only varying shades of green, or work executed with this method.
• verd antiqueA mottled green serpentine marble.
• verdererAn official in charge of a royal forest; in modern times, still extant in the New Forest and the Forest of Dean
• verdineA green aniline dye.
• verditerverdigris
• verdoyCharged with leaves, fruits, flowers, etc.; said of a border.
• verglassilver frost
• verificatorSynonym of verifier.
• verlanA type of backslang used in French, in which the order of the syllables or sounds of words is changed.
• vermeilleA brownish-red variety of almandine garnet.
• VeroveA surname from French.
• verrillonThe glass harp
• verrineAny savory or sweet food served in a small glass, typically in France.
• VersaillaisOf, from or relating to the city of Versailles, Yvelines department, Île-de-France, France or the famous palace located there.
• vers de societeA type of light poetry suited to the amusement of polite upper-class society.
• verslibristA free verse poet.
• vertebreA joint of the back.
• vert russeSynonym of Russian green
• vervelleA rivet containing a hole, or a staple, on a medieval helmet, by which a camail was attached (or rarely, on another piece of armor, by which e.g. a lance rest was attached).
• vespasienneA public street urinal in France.
• VialatteA surname from French.
• vibratilityThe quality or state of being vibratile; tendency to vibrate or oscillate.
• vicereineThe wife of a viceroy.
• viceroyaltyThe office or term of service of a viceroy; viceroydom.
• vichyssoiseA thick, creamy soup made from potato, leeks, onions, and chicken stock, and normally served cold.
• vicomtesseA French noblewoman having a rank equivalent to a viscountess
• victimationVictimization.
• VieauA surname from French.
• VieillotA French surname.
• ViennoisA historical region of Dauphiné, France.
• viennoiserieA baked product made in a similar manner to bread, but with ingredients giving it a sweeter, heavier quality closer to a pastry.
• Vieux-FortA commune of Guadeloupe department, French West Indies.
• vieux jeuOld-fashioned, outmoded.
• vieux richeOld money; wealthy persons whose fortunes are inherited, and who are therefore perceived to have refinement and good breeding.
• vigogneA soft dress material, a mix of wool and cotton.
• -villeUsed to form a name of an inhabited place, a town or city.
• Villeneuve-Saint-GeorgesA commune in Val-de-Marne department, Île-de-France, France, south-east of Paris.
• Ville PlatteA city, the parish seat of Evangeline Parish, Louisiana, United States.
• VilsaintA surname from French.
• vinageThe addition of alcohol to wine to allow it to stand transportation.
• vinaigrierA pot or jar in which vinegar is made.
• vinasseThe waste liquor remaining in the process of making beet sugar, used in the manufacture of fertiliser or potassium carbonate.
• VinceletteA surname from French.
• vin chaudMulled wine.
• vingtaineA subdivision of a parish, corresponding to a cueillette in the parish of Saint Ouen.
• vingtenierA law enforcement officer subordinate to a centenier and responsible for a vingtaine.
• vingt-et-unThe card game pontoon.
• vin jauneAn unusual white wine made in the Jura region of France from late harvest Savagnin grapes, a local white variety.
• ViolainesA commune in Pas-de-Calais department, Hauts-de-France, France.
• ViredazA surname from French.
• viretonAn arrow or bolt for a crossbow having feathers or brass placed at an angle with the shaft to make it spin in flight.
• VirgouleuseA variety of winter pear.
• viroleA ring surrounding a bugle or hunting horn.
• VirtelA surname from French.
• virtual realityA computer technology that simulates a real or imagined environment so that the user can interact with it as if physically present.