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"vice (bad habit)" in seven languages

Meaningvice (bad habit)

Spanish

vicio

/ˈbiθjo/

masc.learned

French

vice

/vis/

masc.learned

Italian

vizio

/ˈvittsjo/

masc.learned

Portuguese

vício

/ˈvisju/

masc.learned

In Brazil vício is also everyday 'addiction'.

Romanian

viciu

/ˈvitʃju/

neut.learned

Catalan

vici

/ˈbisi/

masc.learned

English

vice

/vaɪs/

from Latin/French · Old French vice, from Latin VITIUM

English → Italianvice (bad habit)vizioCognateSame source — inherited, learned or borrowed. You can recognize it.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

VITIUM‘fault, defect’

All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.

The story

The learned word is the common one; the worn-down heirs survive on the side: Spanish vezo 'bad habit' and Italian vezzo 'mannerism, charm'. The 'vice' of vice-president is a different Latin word, VICE 'in place of'.

English relatives: vicious, vitiate

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In a sentence

  • esFumar es su único vicio.
  • frFumer est son seul vice.
  • itIl fumo è il suo unico vizio.
  • ptFumar é o único vício dele.
  • roFumatul e singurul lui viciu.
  • caFumar és el seu únic vici.
  • enSmoking is his only vice.

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