victual

or vit·tle

[ vit-l ]
/ ˈvɪt l /

noun

victuals, food supplies; provisions.
food or provisions for human beings.

verb (used with object), vict·ualed, vict·ual·ing or (especially British) vict·ualled, vict·ual·ling.

to supply with victuals.

verb (used without object), vict·ualed, vict·ual·ing or (especially British) vict·ualled, vict·ual·ling.

to take or obtain victuals.
Archaic. to eat or feed.

Origin of victual

1275–1325; Middle English vitaille < Anglo-French, Middle French vitail(l)e, Old French vituaille < Late Latin victuālia provisions, noun use of neuter plural of Latin victuālis pertaining to food, equivalent to victu(s) nourishment, way of living ( vic-, variant stem of vīvere to live + -tus suffix of v. action) + -ālis -al1; modern spelling < Latin

OTHER WORDS FROM victual

vict·ual·less, adjective re·vict·ual, verb, re·vict·ualed, re·vict·ual·ing or (especially British) re·vict·ualled, re·vict·ual·ling. un·vic·tualed, adjective un·vic·tualled, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for victuals

British Dictionary definitions for victuals (1 of 2)

victuals
/ (ˈvɪtəlz) /

pl n

(sometimes singular) food or provisions

British Dictionary definitions for victuals (2 of 2)

victual
/ (ˈvɪtəl) /

verb -uals, -ualling or -ualled or US -uals, -ualing or -ualed

to supply with or obtain victuals
(intr) rare (esp of animals) to partake of victuals
See also victuals

Derived forms of victual

victual-less, adjective

Word Origin for victual

C14: from Old French vitaille, from Late Latin victuālia provisions, from Latin victuālis concerning food, from victus sustenance, from vīvere to live