victual

1 of 2

noun

vict·ual ˈvi-tᵊl

: food usable by people

victuals ˈvi-tᵊlz

plural : supplies of food : provisions

victual

2 of 2

verb

victualed or victualled; victualing or victualling

transitive verb

: to supply with food

intransitive verb

: eat

: to lay in provisions

Did you know?

If you're hungry for the story behind victual, get ready to dig into a rich and fulfilling history. The word derives via the Middle English and Anglo-French vitaille from the Late Latin plural noun victualia ("provisions"), and ultimately (by way of victus, meaning "nourishment" or "way of living") the Latin verb vivere, meaning "to live." Vivere is the source of a whole smorgasbord of other English words, such as vital, vivid, and survive. It's also the root of viand, another English word referring to food. There's also vittles, a word that sounds like it might be an alteration of the plural victuals (both are pronounced /VIT-ulz/) but which is actually just an earlier development of the Middle English vitaille that was served before victual.

Example Sentences

Verb the navy was usually equipped, clothed and victualled by the Crown that evening the travelers victualed sumptuously on partridge and venison

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Or, just buy a bottle and some victuals from the on-site shop, and get in on the picnic action yourself.

Kristin Luna, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Mar. 2018

Verb

Scholars long thought that the capability to construct and victual a watercraft and then navigate it to a distant coast arrived only with advent of agriculture and animal domestication.

Andrew Lawler, Science | AAAS, 24 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'victual.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English vitaille, victuayle, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin victualia, plural, provisions, victuals, from neuter plural of victualis of nourishment, from Latin victus nourishment, way of living, from vivere to live — more at quick entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1558, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler

The first known use of victual was in the 15th century

See more words from the same century