Online Etymology Dictionary

vinculum (n.): plural vincula, 1670s, from Latin vinc-, stem of vincire "to bind" (see wind (v.1)).
vindicate (v.): 1620s, "to avenge or revenge," from Latin vindicatus, past participle of vindicare (see vindication). Meaning "to clear from censure or doubt, by means of demonstration" is recorded from 1630s. Related: Vindicated, vindicating.
vindication (n.): late 15c., "act of avenging, revenge," from Latin vindicationem (nominative vindicatio) "act of claiming or avenging," from vindicare "to set free, lay claim to, assert, avenge" (related to vindicta "revenge"), probably from vim dicare "to show authority," from vim, accusative of vis "force" + root of dicere "to say" (see diction). Meaning "justification by proof, defense against censure" is attested from 1640s.
vindicative (adj.): 1520s, from Old French vindicatif or directly from Medieval Latin vindicativus, from past participle stem of vindicare (see vindicate).
vindictive (adj.): 1610s, from Latin vindicta "revenge" (see vindication). Related: Vindictively.
vindictiveness (n.): from vindictive + -ness.
vine (n.): c.1300, from Old French vigne, from Latin vinea "vine, vineyard," from vinum "wine," from PIE *win-o-, from an Italic noun related to words for "wine" in Greek, Armenian, Hittite, and non-Indo-European Georgian and West Semitic (cf. Hebrew yayin, Ethiopian wayn); probably ultimately from a lost Mediterranean language word *w(o)in- "wine." The European grape vine was imported to California via Mexico by priests in 1564.
vinegar (n.): c.1300, from Old French vinaigre, from vin "wine" (from Latin vinum; see wine) + aigre "sour" (see eager). In Latin, it was vinum acetum "wine turned sour;" cf. also Greek oxos "wine vinegar," which is related to oxys "sharp" (see acrid).
vineyard (n.): c.1300, replacing Old English wingeard, from vine + yard (n.1). Cf. German weingarten.
vino (n.): "inferior wine," 1919, colloquial, from the Italian and Spanish word for "wine," from Latin vinum (see vine).
vinous (adj.): 1660s, from Latin vinosus, from vinum "wine" (see wine).
vintage (n.): mid-15c., "harvest of grapes, yield of wine from a vineyard," from Anglo-French vintage (mid-14c.), from Old French vendage "yield from a vineyard," from Latin vindemia "a gathering of grapes, yield of grapes," from comb. form of vinum "wine" (see wine) + stem of demere "take off" (from de- "from, away from" + emere "to take;" see exempt). Sense shifted to "age or year of a particular wine" (1746), then to a general adjectival sense of "being of an earlier time" (1883). Used of cars since 1928.
vintner (n.): "wine merchant," early 15c., alteration of vinter (c.1300), from Anglo-French vineter, Old French vinetier, from Medieval Latin vinetarius "a wine dealer," from Latin vinetum "vineyard," from vinum "wine" (see vine).
vinyl (n.): plastic or synthetic resin, 1939, short for polyvinyl; not in widespread use until late 1950s. Slang meaning "phonograph record" (1976) replaced wax (n.) in that sense.
viol (n.): musical instrument, late 15c., viel, from Middle French viole, from Old French, from Old Provençal viola (see viola).
viola (n.): tenor violin, 1797, from Italian viola, from Old Provençal viola, from Medieval Latin vitula "stringed instrument," perhaps from Vitula, Roman goddess of joy (see fiddle), or from related Latin verb vitulari "to exult, be joyful." Viola da gamba "bass viol" (1724) is from Italian, literally "a viola for the leg" (i.e. to hold between the legs).
Viola: fem. proper name, from Latin viola "the violet" (see violet).
violate (v.): early 15c., "to break" (an oath, etc.), from Latin violatus (see violation). Sense of "ravish" is first recorded mid-15c. Related: Violated; violating.
violation (n.): early 15c., from Latin violationem (nominative violatio) "an injury, irreverence," from past participle stem of violare "to violate, treat with violence, outrage, dishonor," perhaps related to vis "violence, strength."
violative (adj.): by 1725, from violate + -ive.
violence (n.): late 13c., "physical force used to inflict injury or damage," from Anglo-French and Old French violence, from Latin violentia "vehemence, impetuosity," from violentus "vehement, forcible," probably related to violare (see violation). Weakened sense of "improper treatment" is attested from 1590s.
violent (adj.): mid-14c.; see violence. In Middle English the word also was applied in reference to heat, sunlight, smoke, etc., with the sense "having some quality so strongly as to produce a powerful effect." Related: Violently.
violet (n.): early 14c., small plant with purplish-blue flowers, from Old French violette, diminutive of viole "violet," from Latin viola, cognate with Greek ion (see iodine), probably from a pre-Indo-European Mediterranean language. The color sense (late 14c.) developed from the flower.
violin (n.): 1570s, from Italian violino, diminutive of viola (see viola).
violon d'Ingres (n.): "an occasional pastime, an activity other than that for which one is well-known, or at which one excells," 1963, from French, literally "Ingres' violin," from the story that the great painter prefered to play his violin -- badly -- for visitors instead of showing them his pictures.
Une légende, assez suspecte, prétend que le peintre Ingres état plus fier de son jeu sur le violon, jeu qui était fort ordinaire, que de sa peinture, qui l'avait rendu illustre. [Larousse du XXe Siecle, 1931]
violoncello (n.): 1724, from Italian violoncello, diminutive of violone "bass viol," augmentative of viola (see viola).
VIP (n.): also V.I.P., 1933, initialism for very important person or personage.
At most, the greatest persons, are but great wens, and excrescences; men of wit and delightfull conversation, but as moales for ornament, except they be so incorporated into the body of the world, that they contribute something to the sustentation of the whole. [John Donne, letter to Sir Henry Goodere, Sept. 1608]
viper (n.): 1520s, from Middle French vipere, from Latin vipera "viper, snake, serpent," from vivus "alive, living" (see vital) + parere "bring forth, bear" (see pare). It formerly was believed (mistakenly) that the viper does not lay eggs. Applied to persons of spiteful character since at least 1590s. The only venomous snake found in Great Britain. Replaced native adder. "The flesh of the viper was formerly regarded as possessing great nutritive or restorative properties, and was frequently used medicinally" [OED]; hence viper wine, wine medicated with some kind of extract from vipers, used 17c. by "gray-bearded gallants" in a bid "to feele new lust, and youthfull flames agin."
virago (n.): late 14c., "man-like or heroic woman," from Latin virago, from vir "man" (see virile). Ælfric (c.1000), following Vulgate, used it in Gen. ii:23 (KJV = woman):
Beo hire nama Uirago, þæt is, fæmne, forðan ðe heo is of hire were genumen.
viral (adj.): "of the nature of, or caused by, a virus," 1948, see virus.
vireo (n.): 1834, from Latin vireo, a word Pliny uses for some kind of bird, perhaps the greenfinch, from virere "be green" (see verdure). Applied in modern times to an American bird.
virgilian (adj.): 1510s, from Latin Virgilianus "of or characteristic of the Roman poet Virgil" (Publius Vergilius Maro, 70-19 B.C.E.). Also in Virgilian lots (Latin sortes Virgilianae), opening Virgil at random as an oracle.
virgin (n.): c.1200, "unmarried or chaste woman noted for religious piety and having a position of reverence in the Church," from Old French virgine, from Latin virginem (nominative virgo) "maiden, unwedded girl or woman," also an adj., "fresh, unused," probably related to virga "young shoot." For sense evolution, cf. Greek talis "a marriageable girl," cognate with Latin talea "rod, stick, bar." Meaning "young woman in a state of inviolate chastity" is recorded from c.1300. Also applied since early 14c. to a chaste man. Meaning "naive or inexperienced person" is attested from 1953. The adj. is recorded from 1550s in the literal sense; figurative sense of "pure, untainted" is attested from c.1300.
Distraught pretty girl: "I've lost my virginity!"
Benny Hill: "Do you still have the box it came in?"
virginal (adj.): early 15c., from Old French virginal or directly from Latin virginalis, from virgin (see virgin). The keyed musical instrument so called from 1520s, but the reason is obscure (see virginals).
virginals (n.): "small harpsichord," 1520s, evidently from virgin, but the connection is unclear, unless it means "an instrument played by girls."
Virginia: British colony in North America, name appears on a map in 1587, named for Elizabeth I, the Virgin Queen. The fem. proper name is from Latin Virginia, fem. of Virginius, earlier Verginius, probably related to Vergilius (cf. virgilian).
virginity (n.): c.1300, from Old French virginite, from Latin virginitatem (nominative virginitas), from virgo (see virgin).
Virgo: zodiacal constellation, c.1000, from Latin Virgo "the virgin" (see virgin). Meaning "person born under the sign of Virgo" is attested from 1917.
virgule (n.): thin sloping line, used as a comma in medieval MSS, 1837, from French virgule, from Latin virgula "punctuation mark," literally "little twig," diminutive of virga "shoot, rod, stick." The word had been borrowed in its Latin form in 1728.
viridian (adj.): 1882, from Latin virid-, stem of viridis "green" (see verdure) + -ian.
virile (adj.): late 15c., from Old French viril, from Latin virilis "of a man, manly," from vir "a man, a hero," from PIE *uiHro "freeman" (cf. Sanskrit virah, Avestan vira-, Lithuanian vyras, Lithuanian vyras, Old Irish fer, Welsh gwr, Gothic wair, Old English wer "man"). Virile member for "penis" is recorded from 1540s.
virility (n.): "period of manhood," 1580s; see virile + -ity. Meaning "manly strength" is recorded from c.1600.
virion (n.): coined in French, 1959, from virus (see virus) + -on.
virologist (n.): 1946; see virology + -ist.
virology (n.): 1935, from comb. form of virus + -ology. Related: Virological.
virtu (n.): "excellence in an object of art, passion for works of art," 1722, from Italian virtu "excellence," from Latin virtutem (nominative virtus) "virtue" (see virtue). The same word as virtue, borrowed during a period when everything Italian was in vogue. Sometimes spelled vertu, after French, but this is unjustified, as this sense of the word is not in French.
virtual (adj.): late 14c., "influencing by physical virtues or capabilities," from Medieval Latin virtualis, from Latin virtus "excellence, potency, efficacy," literally "manliness, manhood" (see virtue). The meaning of "being something in essence or fact, though not in name" is first recorded 1650s, probably via sense of "capable of producing a certain effect" (early 15c.). Computer sense of "not physically existing but made to appear by software" is attested from 1959.
virtually (adv.): early 15c., "as far as essential qualities or facts are concerned;" from virtual + -ly (2). Sense of "in effect, as good as" is recorded from c.1600.
virtue (n.): early 13c., "moral life and conduct, moral excellence," vertu, from Anglo-French and Old French vertu, from Latin virtutem (nominative virtus) "moral strength, manliness, valor, excellence, worth," from vir "man" (see virile).
For my part I honour with the name of virtue the habit of acting in a way troublesome to oneself and useful to others. [Stendhal "de l'Amour," 1822]
Phrase by virtue of (early 13c.) preserves alternative Middle English sense of "efficacy." Wyclif Bible has virtue where KJV uses power. The seven cardinal virtues (early 14c.) were divided into the natural (justice, prudence, temperance, fortitude) and the theological (hope, faith, charity). To make a virtue of a necessity (late 14c.) translates Latin facere de necessitate virtutem [Jerome].
virtuosity (n.): late 15c., "manly qualities," from Medieval Latin virtuositas, from Late Latin virtuosus (see virtuoso). As "skill or abilities of a virtuoso," 1670s, from virtuoso + -ity.