Vampyre  (ˈvæm.paɪər)
Type: noun
Definition: An archaic spelling of vampire, most common in Victorian literature.
Etymological origin: From French vampire, from German Vampir, from Serbian vampir, of Slavic origin. The -yre spelling was popularised by John Polidori’s 1819 short story The Vampyre, one of the earliest works of vampire fiction in English.

Vanitas  (vəˈnaɪ.təs)
Type: noun
Definition: Artwork emphasising the transience of life and the certainty of death.
Etymological origin: From Latin vanitas “emptiness, worthlessness,” from vanus “empty, void” (from PIE root *eue- “to leave, abandon”). The genre takes its name from the opening of Ecclesiastes: vanitas vanitatum, “vanity of vanities.”

Venereal disease  (vəˈnɪər.i.əl dɪˈziːz)
Type: noun (archaic)
Definition: An archaic term for a Sexually transmitted disease.
Etymological origin: From Medieval Latin venereus “of sexual love,” from Latin venus (genitive veneris) “love, sexual desire,” from PIE root *wen- (1) “to desire, strive for.”

Vernal  (ˈvɜːr.nəl)
Type: adjective
Definition: Relating to spring.
Etymological origin: From Latin vernalis, from vernus “of spring,” from ver “spring” (from PIE root *wes-r- “spring”).

Viaduct  (ˈvaɪ.ə.dʌkt)
Type: noun
Definition: A long bridge carrying a road or railroad across a valley.
Etymological origin: From Latin via “road, way” (from PIE root *wegh- “to go, transport”) + ductus “a leading,” from ducere “to lead” (from PIE root *deuk- “to lead”). Modelled on aqueduct.

Virgin crants  (ˈvɜːr.dʒɪn krænts)
Type: noun (plural)
Definition: Funeral crowns made for deceased virgins.
Etymological origin: From virgin, from Old French virgine, from Latin virginem (nominative virgo) “maiden” + crants, from German Kranz “wreath, garland,” from Proto-Germanic *krantaz.

Visitation Room  (ˌvɪz.ɪˈteɪ.ʃən ruːm)
Type: noun
Definition: A room in a funeral home used for viewing the deceased.
Etymological origin: From visitation, from Old French visitation, from Latin visitationem “a visit,” from visitare “to go to see,” frequentative of visere “to behold,” from videre “to see” (from PIE root *weid- “to see”).

Vista  (ˈvɪs.tə)
Type: noun
Definition: A serene, pleasing view.
Etymological origin: From Italian vista “view, sight,” from visto, past participle of vedere “to see,” from Latin videre “to see” (from PIE root *weid- “to see”).

Vivacity  (vɪˈvæs.ɪ.ti)
Type: noun
Definition: A lively disposition.
Etymological origin: From Latin vivacitas “liveliness,” from vivax (genitive vivacis) “lively, vigorous,” from vivere “to live” (from PIE root *gwei- “to live”).

Vivisection  (ˌvɪv.ɪˈsek.ʃən)
Type: noun
Definition: Surgery on living animals for scientific research.
Etymological origin: From Latin vivus “alive” (from PIE root *gwei- “to live”) + sectio “a cutting,” from secare “to cut” (from PIE root *sek- “to cut”). Modelled on dissection.

Voluptuous  (vəˈlʌp.tʃu.əs)
Type: adjective
Definition: A curvaceous and attractive woman, or a luxury akin to sensual pleasures.
Etymological origin: From Old French voluptueux, from Latin voluptuosus “full of pleasure,” from voluptas “pleasure, delight,” from volup “pleasurably,” from PIE root *wel- (2) “to wish, will.”

Vrykolakas  (ˌvrɪ.kəˈlɑː.kəs)
Type: noun (Greek/Slavic)
Definition: A Greek/Slavic vampire.
Etymological origin: From Modern Greek vrykolakas, from South Slavic vukodlak, from vuk “wolf” + dlaka “hair, fur,” from Proto-Slavic *vuko-dlakŭ. The original meaning was “werewolf;” the sense shifted to “vampire” in Greek usage.

Web Revivalism  (wɛb rɪˈvaɪ.vəl.ɪ.zəm)
Type: noun
Definition: A term for the adoption of millennium-era web design. Web Revivalists create simplistic static sites, use period-appropriate software, and attempt to emulate the lifestyles of early internet users. It was first coined by MelonKing in 2022 in his essay “Intro to the Web Revival #1: What is the Web Revival?”.
Etymological origin: From web + revivalism, with revivalism from revival + -ism, from revive, from Old French revivre, from Latin revivere “to live again,” from re- + vivere “to live” (from PIE root *gwei- “to live”).

Webcomic  (ˈwɛbˌkɒm.ɪk)
Type: noun
Definition: A comic that is published online rather than in traditional print. Webcomics are often drawn by individual authors and can take years, if not decades, to complete.
Etymological origin: A compound of web + comic, with comic from Greek komikos “of comedy,” from komos “a revel, merrymaking” (from PIE root *kei- (1) “to set in motion”).

Whence  (wens)
Type: adverb (archaic)
Definition: An archaic term for what place or source a thing originates.
Etymological origin: From Old English hwanon “from where,” from Proto-Germanic *hwana, from PIE root *kwo- (the stem of relative and interrogative pronouns).

Whelmed  (welmd)
Type: verb (past tense)
Definition: To be engulfed or overwhelmed.
Etymological origin: From Middle English whelmen “to overturn, submerge,” from Old English hwelman, from Proto-Germanic *hwalbjan, related to whelve “to turn upside down.”

Witch-bottle  (wɪtʃ ˈbɒt.əl)
Type: noun
Definition: An apotropaic bottle filled with sharp objects, intended to repel witches.
Etymological origin: From witch, from Old English wicce “female magician, sorceress,” from Proto-Germanic *wikkjon + bottle, from Old French boteille, from Medieval Latin butticula, diminutive of Late Latin buttis “cask.”

Wold  (wəʊld)
Type: noun (archaic)
Definition: An archaic British term for an open, rolling landscape.
Etymological origin: From Old English wald “forest, woodland,” from Proto-Germanic *walþuz (source also of Old Norse völlr “field,” German Wald “forest”).

Zoöphagous  (ˌzəʊ.əˈfæɡ.əs)
Type: adjective
Definition: Feeding on animals.
Etymological origin: From Greek zoion “animal” (from PIE root *gwei- “to live”) + phagein “to eat” (from PIE root *bhag- “to share out, apportion”).