The compound "then-vice" is a modern, primarily attributive formation that combines two distinct temporal and functional concepts. The word "then" originates from a common Germanic temporal adverb, solidifying its meaning of "at that past time." "Vice" has a more complex journey from Latin, where vicis conveyed a sense of alternation and substitution, entering English via Old French to denote a deputy role. When combined, the literal "at-that-time deputy" logically yields the modern sense of "former vice," describing a position or status that was held in the past. This construction demonstrates how English can flexibly combine native and borrowed elements to create precise, compound adjectives for specific contextual needs.

Structure: then (sense) + vice (sense) - then: From Old English þonne, þænne, meaning "at that time, in that case." It functions as a temporal and logical connector, here used adjectivally to mean "former" or "at that time." - vice: From Latin vice, the ablative singular of vicis meaning "change, alternation, stead, place of." In English, it functions as a prefix or noun meaning "in place of; a deputy or substitute."