victuals
victuals Lexical Profile
victuals Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Food or provisions usable by human beings; supplies of food and drink.
"The expedition packed enough victuals to last through the harsh winter months."
• verb
To supply or store with food and provisions (third-person singular simple present of victual).
"The port authority victuals the naval vessels before they depart for overseas deployment."
Word Nuance & Usage
Despite its Latinate spelling, 'victuals' is traditionally pronounced like 'vittles' (/ˈvɪtlz/). As a noun referring to food, it is almost always used in the plural form.
• Rhymes for victuals
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English 'vitaille', borrowed from Old French, from Late Latin 'victualia' ('provisions'), neuter plural of 'victualis' ('of nourishment'), derived from Latin 'victus' ('way of living, nourishment') and 'vivere' ('to live'). The 'c' and 'u' were reintroduced in the 16th century to reflect the Latin root, though the older pronunciation persisted.