Vacate comes from Latin vacātus, past participle of vacāre ('to be empty, be free'), from vacuus ('empty'). The form is best read as a historical transfer or inheritance, with its older language material carrying the main semantic load. As a verb, it means "to leave a place empty; to give up an office or position", so the modern sense keeps the older action or relation visible. Relevant historical forms include Latin vacāre and Latin vacuus. Derivative forms include vacation, vacated, vacating; related words include vacant, vacancy, vacuum, vacuity.