Meaning to the prefix VICE- ?

Question

does anyone know the definition/meaning to the prefix vice?

Answer 1

Dear Word Detective: We have an on-going household discussion as to the seemingly totally different meanings of the word "vice." On the one hand, I was once the Vice-President of my union chapter. On the other hand, I replaced the President when the vice squad found out what he was up to on Saturday nights. Can you shed any light on this? -- Lauri Goff, Oklahoma City.

Please don't use the word "shed." Word Detective World Headquarters recently acquired a sixth cat, and I can sum up the situation in five little words: cat fur in the toaster. If I could catch the little critters I'd shave them, but they spend most of their time swinging on the curtains just out of reach.

Despite the best efforts of Spiro Agnew to meld the two words, there is no connection between "vice" in the "vice-president" sense and "vice" meaning "evil, immoral, or wicked habits or conduct." (For those of you out of the room at the time, Agnew was Vice-President of the US from 1969 until 1973, when he resigned after pleading nolo contendere to charges of tax evasion for, believe it or not, failing to pay taxes on bribes he took as Governor of Maryland.)

The nasty sort of "vice" is the oldest, first appearing in English in the 13th century. The root of this "vice" is the Latin word "vitium," which means "defect, fault or failing." That sounds rather mild, perhaps a mere peccadillo on a par with failing to return library books, but for most of its history in English, "vice" has usually described conduct regarded by society as seriously depraved and immoral. Today "vice" is, however, most often used in a semi-jocular sense, as in "Watching monster truck races on TV is my secret vice." Incidentally, that Latin "vitium" also gave us the English words "vicious," "vitiate" and "vituperate."

The prefix "vice" found in "vice-president" and similar titles is a bit more complicated. The Latin word "vice" means "in place of," and is a form (ablative, for you Latin fans) of "vicis," meaning "change." So a "vice-president" is a person who takes the place of the president if necessary. By the way, this is the same "vice" found in "vice-versa," "versa" being a form of the Latin "vertere," to turn, giving "vice-versa" the sense of "in reversed places."

Answer 2

Main Entry: 1vice
Pronunciation: 'vIs
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin vitium fault, vice
1 a : moral depravity or corruption : WICKEDNESS b : a moral fault or failing c : a habitual and usually trivial defect or shortcoming : FOIBLE
2 : BLEMISH, DEFECT
3 : a physical imperfection, deformity, or taint
4 a often capitalized : a character representing one of the vices in an English morality play b : BUFFOON, JESTER
5 : an abnormal behavior pattern in a domestic animal detrimental to its health or usefulness
6 : sexual immorality; especially : PROSTITUTION
synonym see FAULT, OFFENSE

Answer 3

I hope you mean this in an 'official' context. If so, then the word comes from old french, Viceroy, which was an advisor/assistant/confidant to the King (Roi). That indiviadual was then given the title Viceroy. Nowdays it means, vasically, Second In Charge, or Second in Command. The Vice-whatever usually works twice as hard as the one actually in charge (see vice principals in any school...).

Answer 4

American Heritage or Merriam Webster both define it pretty much as follows:
vice
NOUN:

An evil, degrading, or immoral practice or habit.
A serious moral failing.
Wicked or evil conduct or habits; corruption.
Sexual immorality, especially prostitution.

A slight personal failing; a foible: the vice of untidiness.
A flaw or imperfection; a defect.
A physical defect or weakness.
An undesirable habit, such as crib-biting, in a domestic animal.

Vice A character representing generalized or particular vice in English morality plays.
A jester or buffoon.

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ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English, from Old French, from Latin vitium

Answer 5

Well, vice technically means an alternative. That means a secondary choice or an option. Hope my answer helps you. Good luck.

Answer 6

"second in rank and activing as deputy for"--as in vice president, vice chairman

Answer 7

look in the dictionary