victual

C2 Topic:Food & Drink

Also spelled vittles and wittles

US /ˈvɪtəl/ UK /ˈvɪtəl/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like whittle /v/ vs /w/

Freq #451541

Meanings

1

noun
food or provisions, especially supplies kept for a journey, military force, or household

The garrison had little victual left after the long winter.
2

verb
to supply a person, place, ship, or force with food or provisions

The merchants victualled the ship before its Atlantic crossing.
3

verb
to obtain or store food supplies, or to eat

The crew stopped at the island to victual before continuing south.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · food or provisions,... food provisions rations sustenance

2 verb · to supply a person, place,... provision supply feed

3 verb · to obtain or store food... stock provisionseat

Word family

Forms unvictualledvictualagevictualledvictualling

Derived forms victualervictualledvictuallervictualling

Related forms victualsvittlesprovisions rations sustenance

Etymology

From Middle English vitaile through Anglo-Norman and Old French from Late Latin victualia ("provisions"), related to Latin victus ("food, livelihood") and vivere ("to live"). The c was restored to imitate Latin spelling, but the older pronunciation survived, explaining vittles.

Topics

Food & Drink Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# victual

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈvɪtəl/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈvɪtəl/
**Frequency rank:** 451541

## Meanings
1. food or provisions, especially supplies kept for a journey, military force, or household
2. to supply a person, place, ship, or force with food or provisions
3. to obtain or store food supplies, or to eat

## Examples
- The garrison had little victual left after the long winter.
- The merchants victualled the ship before its Atlantic crossing.
- The crew stopped at the island to victual before continuing south.

## Synonyms
- food
- provisions
- rations
- provision
- supply
- feed

## Derived Forms
- victualer
- victualled
- victualler
- victualling

## Related Forms
- victuals
- vittles
- provisions
- rations
- sustenance

## Etymology
From Middle English vitaile through Anglo-Norman and Old French from Late Latin victualia ("provisions"), related to Latin victus ("food, livelihood") and vivere ("to live"). The c was restored to imitate Latin spelling, but the older pronunciation survived, explaining vittles.

## Topics
- Food & Drink
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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