Vague and Vagabond Both Mean Wandering
Vague means unclear or imprecise. The Latin root means to wander, which explains its unlikely relatives.
Vague means unclear, imprecise or not definitely stated. Latin *vagus* meant wandering or roaming, and the sense shifted through the idea of a statement that wanders instead of arriving anywhere. The same root gives *vagabond*, one who wanders, *vagrant*, and the *vagus nerve*, so named because it wanders further through the body than any other cranial nerve. *Extravagant* is the same word too: wandering outside proper bounds.
- Unclear. *A vague reply.*
- Vagabond — a wanderer. *A vagabond.*
- Vagrant — a homeless wanderer. *A vagrant.*
- Vagus nerve — the wandering nerve. *The vagus nerve.*
- Latin — *vagus*, wandering. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Adjective | vague | Vague. |
| Adverb | vaguely | Vaguely. |
| Noun | vagueness | Vagueness. |
| Related | vagabond | A vagabond. |
| Latin | vagus | Wandering. |
- He gave a vague answer.Imprecise.
- The vagus nerve wanders widely.Anatomy.
- Vagus meant wandering.Etymology.
The vagus family
- Vague — a statement that wanders rather than lands
- Vagabond — one who wanders without a home
- Vagrant — the same idea in legal language
- Extravagant — wandering beyond proper limits
- Vagary — an unpredictable wandering of behaviour
French *vague*, from Latin *vagus*, wandering or uncertain.
Why is the vagus nerve called that?
Because it wanders further through the body than any other cranial nerve, reaching the heart, lungs and digestive system.
Are vague and extravagant related?
Yes. Extravagant means wandering outside proper bounds, from the same Latin vagus.