Online Etymology Dictionary

volatile (adj.): 1590s "fine or light," also "evaporating rapidly" (c.1600), from Middle French volatile, from Latin volatilis "fleeting, transitory, flying," from past participle stem of volare "to fly" (see volant). Sense of "readily changing, fickle" is first recorded 1640s. Volatiles in Middle English meant "birds, butterflies, and other winged creatures" (c.1300).
volcanic (adj.): 1774, from French volcanique (see volcano). Figurative sense of "prone to explosive activity" is attested from 1854.
volcanism (n.): 1869, from French volcanisme; see volcano + -ism.
volcano (n.): 1610s, from Italian vulcano "burning mountain," from Latin Vulcanus "Vulcan," Roman god of fire, also "fire, flames, volcano" (see Vulcan). The name was first applied to Mt. Etna by the Romans, who believed it was the forge of Vulcan.
vole (n.): 1805, volemouse, literally "field-mouse," with first element probably from Old Norse völlr "field," from Proto-Germanic *walthuz (cf. Icelandic völlr, Swedish vall "field," Old English weald; see wold).
volition (n.): 1610s, from French volition (16c.), from Medieval Latin volitionem (nominative volitio) "will, volition," from Latin stem (as in volo "I wish") of velle "to wish," from PIE *wel-/*wol- "be pleasing" (see will (v.)).
volley (n.): 1570s, "discharge of a number of guns at once," from Middle French volee "flight" (12c.), from Vulgar Latin *volta, fem. noun from Latin volatum, past participle of volare "to fly" (see volant). Sporting sense (originally in tennis) is from 1819 (v.), 1862 (n.), from notion of hitting the ball in flight.
volleyball (n.): 1896, from volley + ball (n.1).
Volstead: in reference to Prohibition legislation in U.S., 1920, from U.S. Rep. Andrew J. Volstead (1860-1947), Republican of Minnesota, who introduced the bill in 1919 that prohibited the manufacture, transportation, and sale of beverages containing more than 0.5 percent alcohol.
volt (n.): unit of electromotive force, 1873, back-formation from adj. voltaic.
Volta: West African river, from 15c. Portuguese Rio da Volta, literally "river of return" (perhaps because it was where ships turned around and headed for home) or "river of bend," in reference to its course.
voltage (n.): 1890, from volt + -age.
voltaic (adj.): 1813, designating electricity produced by chemical action, formed in recognition of Italian physicist Alessandro Volta (1745-1827), who perfected a chemical process used in electrical batteries, + -ic.
Voltaire: name taken from 1718 by French author François Marie Arouet (1694-1778) after his imprisonment in the Bastille on suspicion of having written some satirical verses; originally de Voltaire. The signification is uncertain.
volte-face: a reversal of opinion, 1819, French, from Italian volta faccia, literally "turn face," from volta, imper. of voltare "to turn" (from Vulgar Latin *volvita, from Latin volvere "to roll;" see vulva) + faccia (see face).
voltmeter (n.): 1882, from volt + meter (n.3).
voluble (adj.): 1570s, "liable to constant change," from French voluble, from Latin volubilis "that turns around, rolling, flowing, fluent" (of speech), from volvere "to turn around, roll" (see vulva). Meaning "fluent, talkative" first recorded 1580s. Related: Volubly.
volume (n.): late 14c., "roll of parchment containing writing, large book," from Old French volume, from Latin volumen (genitive voluminis) "roll (as of a manuscript), coil, wreath," from volvere "to turn around, roll" (see vulva). Meaning "book forming part of a set" (1520s) is from a sense in French. Generalized sense of "bulk, mass, quantity" (1620s) developed from that of "bulk or size of a book" (1520s), again following the sense evolution in the French version of the word.
volumetric (adj.): 1857, from volumeter (1829) + -ic.
voluminous (adj.): "forming a large mass," 1610s, from Late Latin voluminosus, from Latin volumen (genitive voluminis) "volume" (see volume). Related: Voluminously.
voluntarism (n.): 1838, in philosophy, from voluntary + -ism. As the theory or principal of using voluntary action rather than coercion (in politics, etc.), from 1924, American English (Voluntaryism in this sense is recorded from 1883).
voluntary (adj.): late 14c. (implied in voluntarily), from Latin voluntarius "of one's free will," from voluntas "will," from the ancient accusative singular present participle of velle "to wish" (see will (v.)). Originally of feelings, later also of actions (mid-15c.).
volunteer (n.): c.1600, "one who offers himself for military service," from Middle French voluntaire, noun use of adj. meaning "voluntary," from Latin voluntarius "voluntary, of one's free will" (see voluntary). Non-military sense is first recorded 1630s. The verb is first recorded 1755, from the noun. Tennessee has been the Volunteer State since the Mexican War, when a call for 2,800 volunteers brought out 30,000 men.
volunteerism (n.): 1844, with reference to armed forces; from volunteer + -ism. In reference to volunteer labor in community activities, by 1977.
voluptuary: c.1600 (n. and adj.), from Latin voluptuarius, from voluptarius, from voluptas "pleasure" (see voluptuous).
voluptuous (adj.): late 14c., "of desires or appetites," from Old French voluptueux, from Latin voluptuosus "full of pleasure, delightful," from voluptas "pleasure, delight," from volup "pleasurably," perhaps ultimately related to velle "to wish," from PIE *wol-/*wel- "be pleasing" (see will (v.)). Meaning "addicted to sensual pleasure" is recorded from mid-15c. Sense of "suggestive of sensual pleasure" is attested from 1816 (Byron); especially in reference to feminine beauty from 1839.
volute (n.): 1690s, "spiral ornament on an Ionic capital," from French volute, from Italian voluta, from Latin voluta "a spiral scroll," originally fem. past participle of volvere "to turn around, roll" (see vulva). Extended 1756 to any spiral thing or part. As a type of spiral seashell, it is attested from 1753.
volvox (n.): 1798, from Latin volvere "to roll" (see vulva).
volvulus (n.): 1670s, medical Latin, from Latin volvere "to turn, twist" (see vulva).
vomit (n.): late 14c., "act of expelling contents of the stomach through the mouth," from Latin vomitare "to vomit often," frequentative of vomere "spew forth, discharge," from PIE root *wem- "to spit, vomit" (cf. Greek emein "to vomit," emetikos "provoking sickness;" Sanskrit vamati "he vomits;" Avestan vam- "to spit;" Lithuanian vemiu "to vomit," Old Norse væma "seasickness"). In reference to the matter so ejected, it is attested from late 14c.
vomit (v.): early 15c.; see vomit (n.). Related: Vomited; vomiting.
vomitorium (n.): 1754, "passage or opening in an ancient amphitheater, leading to or from the seats," from Latin (Macrobius, Sat., VI.iv); see vomit. Erroneous meaning "place where ancient Romans (allegedly) deliberately vomited during feasts" is attested from 1923.
von: German, "of, from."
voodoo (n.): religious witchcraft of Haiti and Southern U.S., ultimately of African origin, 1850, from Louisiana French voudou, from a W.African language (e.g. Ewe and Fon vodu "spirit, demon, deity," also Vandoo, supposedly the name of an African deity, from a language of Dahomey). Cf. vodun "fetish connected with snake worship in Dahomey," said to be from vo "to be afraid," or vo "harmful." The verb is attested from 1880.
vor: German, "before, in front of" (see fore).
voracious (adj.): 1630s, formed as an adjectival form of voracity. Related: Voraciously.
voracity (n.): 1520s, from Middle French voracité (14c.) or directly from Latin voracitatem (nominative voracitas) "greediness, ravenousness," from vorax (genitive voracis) "greedy," from vorare "to devour," from PIE root *gwer- "to swallow, devour" (cf. Sanskrit girati "he swallows," garah "drink;" Greek bora "food;" Lithuanian geriu "to drink;" Old Church Slavonic ziro "to swallow," grulo "gullet").
vorlage (n.): 1939, from German vorlage, from vorlegen "to lean forward," from vor (see fore) + legen (see lay (v.)).
vorpal (adj.): 1871, invented by Lewis Carroll in "Through the Looking-Glass."
vortex (n.): 1650s, "whirlpool, eddying mass," from Latin vortex, variant of vertex "an eddy of water, wind, or flame; whirlpool; whirlwind," from stem of vertere "to turn" (see versus). Plural form is vortices. Became prominent in 17c. theories of astrophysics (by Descartes, etc.). In reference to human affairs, it is attested from 1761. Vorticism as a movement in British arts and literature is attested from 1914, coined by Ezra Pound.
votary (n.): 1540s, "one consecrated by a vow," from Latin votum (see vow). Originally "a monk or nun," general sense of "ardent devotee of some aim or pursuit" is from 1591 (in Shakespeare, originally in reference to love).
vote (v.): 1550s in the modern sense; see vote (n.). Earlier it meant "to vow" to do something (1530s). Related: Voted; voting.
vote (n.): mid-15c., from Latin votum "a vow, wish, promise, dedication," noun use of neuter of votus, past participle of vovere "to promise, dedicate" (see vow).
votive (adj.): 1590s, "dedicated or given in fulfillment of a vow," from Middle French votif, from Latin votivus "of or pertaining to a vow, conforming to one's wishes," from votum (see vow).
vouch (v.): early 14c., "summon into court to prove a title," from Anglo-French voucher, Old French vocher "to call, summon, invoke, claim," probably from Gallo-Romance *voticare, metathesis of Latin vocitare "to call to, summon insistently," frequentative of Latin vocare "to call, call upon, summon" (see voice). Meaning "guarantee to be true or accurate" is first attested 1590s. Related: Vouched; vouching.
voucher (n.): originally "summoning of a person into court to warrant the title to a property;" see vouch. Meaning "receipt from a business transaction" is first attested 1690s; sense of "document which can be exchanged for goods or services" is attested from 1947.
vouchsafe (v.): c.1300, vouchen safe "to vouch as safe" (see vouch and safe).
vow (n.): c.1300, from Anglo-French and Old French vou, from Latin votum "a vow, wish, promise, dedication," noun use of neuter of votus, past participle of vovere "to promise solemnly, pledge, dedicate, vow," from PIE root *ewegwh- "to speak solemnly, vow" (cf. Sanskrit vaghat- "one who offers a sacrifice;" Greek eukhe "vow, wish," eukhomai "I pray").
vow (v.): c.1300, from Old French vouer, from vou (see vow (n.)). Related: Vowed; vowing.
vowel (n.): c.1300, from Old French vouel, from Latin vocalis, in littera vocalis, literally "vocal letter," from vox (genitive vocis) "voice" (see voice (n.)). Vowel shift in reference to the pronunciation change between Middle and Modern English is attested from 1909. The Hawaiian word hooiaioia, meaning "certified," has the most consecutive vowels of any word in current human speech; the English record-holder is queueing.