vail

verb

vailed; vailing; vails

transitive verb

: to lower often as a sign of respect or submission

Word History

Etymology

Middle English valen, partly borrowed from Anglo-French valer (short for avaler "to lower") & partly short for Middle English avalen "to let fall," borrowed from Anglo-French avaler, verbal derivative of aval "downward," from a "to" (going back to Latin ad) + val "valley" — more at at entry 1, vale

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of vail was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near vail

Cite this Entry

“Vail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vail. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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