## Etymology
From Old French 'vitaille', from Late Latin 'victualia' ('provisions'), neuter plural of 'victualis' ('of nourishment'), from 'victus' ('food, way of living'), from 'vivere' ('to live'). The silent 'c' was reinserted to reflect the Latin spelling.

## AI Etymology
Victuals comes from Old French 'vitaille', from Late Latin 'victualia' ('provisions'), neuter plural of 'victualis' ('of nourishment'), from 'victus' ('food, way of living'), from 'vivere' ('to live'). The silent 'c' was reinserted to reflect the Latin spelling. In current use it is a noun meaning "food or provisions, especially for human consumption". That sense is explained by the older material without requiring a speculative semantic step: the inherited or borrowed base supplies the field of meaning, while the English formation fixes its modern role. The history is mainly one of transmission into English, with the older form and sense carried through borrowing or adaptation. The historical chain includes Old French vitaille, Latin victualia, and Latin vivere. Related English forms include victualler, victual, and vital. For dictionary purposes, the important point is the continuity between the older form, the route into English, and the present lexical sense.

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