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Added 9 October 2026

vanish

/ˈvænɪʃ/ verb

In Latin: ēvānēscō, vānēscō, aufugiō Wiktionary

verb Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about vanish at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Get lost, as without warning or explanation.
He disappeared without a trace
Become invisible or unnoticeable.
The effect vanished when day broke
Pass away rapidly.
Time flies like an arrow

Origin

Aphetic for obsolete evanish, from Middle English evanisshen, esvanisshen, from Old French esvanir, esvaniss- (modern French évanouir), from Vulgar Latin *exvanire (“to vanish, disappear, to fade out”), from Latin ēvānēscō, ēvānēscere, from vānus (“empty”). By surface analysis, Latin vān- + -ish (“verb suffix”). Doublet of evanesce. Displaced native Old English cwincan, whose causative persists as quench (“put out (fire)”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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