vest
vest
UK[vest]US[vest]
n
A piece of underwear for the upper body, typically without sleeves.
n
A sleeveless garment worn on the upper body, often over a shirt, as part of a suit or for a specific purpose.
v
To give someone the power, authority, or right to do something.
v
To place authority, property, or rights in the control of a person or group.
Etymology
The word 'vest' entered English in the early 17th century from the French 'veste', meaning 'robe, gown'. The French term derived from the Italian 'vesta', which in turn came from the Latin 'vestis', meaning 'garment, clothing'. This Latin root is traced back to the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) root wes-, meaning 'to clothe, to dress'. The semantic journey is direct, moving from the general concept of clothing to the specific garment types we know today. The verb sense, meaning to confer authority or power, developed from the idea of being 'clothed' or invested with the symbols of office, a meaning that came into English from the same Latin root via legal French.
Analysis
The word 'vest' is a simplex loanword from Latin via French. Its spelling and form are not productively divisible into smaller, meaningful morphemes in modern English.
Examples
He wore a formal waistcoat, which is a type of vest, over his shirt.
The power to make such decisions is vested in the committee.
She put on a thermal vest for extra warmth during the winter hike.