Main Entry:

vig·il

Pronunciation:

\ˈvi-jəl\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English vigile, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin & Latin; Late Latin vigilia watch on the eve of a feast, from Latin, wakefulness, watch, from vigil awake, watchful; akin to Latin vigēre to be vigorous, vegēre to enliven — more at wake

Date:

13th century

1 a: a watch formerly kept on the night before a religious feast with prayer or other devotions b: the day before a religious feast observed as a day of spiritual preparation c: evening or nocturnal devotions or prayers —usually used in plural2: the act of keeping awake at times when sleep is customary ; also : a period of wakefulness3: an act or period of watching or surveillance : watch <kept vigil at her bedside>