English edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

From Middle English vigour, from Old French vigour, from vigor, from Latin vigor, from vigeo (thrive, flourish), from Proto-Indo-European *weǵ- (to be lively).

Related to vigil, vegetable, vajra, and waker.

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

vigour (countable and uncountable, plural vigours)

  1. Active strength or force of body or mind; capacity for exertion, physically, intellectually, or morally; energy.
    • 1717, John Dryden (tr.), Metamorphoses By Ovid[1], Book the Twelfth:
      The vigour of this arm was never vain
  2. (biology) Strength or force in animal or vegetable nature or action.
    A plant grows with vigour.
  3. Strength; efficacy; potency.
    • 1667, John Milton, “(please specify the book number)”, in Paradise Lost. [], London: [] [Samuel Simmons], [], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: [], London: Basil Montagu Pickering [], 1873, →OCLC:
      But in the fruithful earth: there first receiv'd / His beams, unactive else, their vigour find.

Usage notes edit

Vigour and its derivatives commonly imply active strength, or the power of action and exertion, in distinction from passive strength, or strength to endure.

Derived terms edit

Related terms edit

Translations edit

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Old French edit

Noun edit

vigour oblique singularm (oblique plural vigours, nominative singular vigours, nominative plural vigour)

  1. Alternative form of vigur