Definition of VENDETTA (original) (raw)
2
: an often prolonged series of retaliatory, vengeful, or hostile acts or exchange of such acts
waged a personal vendetta against those who opposed his nomination
Did you know?
Vendetta has been getting even in English since the 19th century, when it first was used to refer to feuds between different clans or families. It later extended in meaning to cover acts that are known to feature in feuds of all kinds. English speakers borrowed vendetta, spelling and all, from Italian, in which it means "revenge." It ultimately traces to the Latin verb vindicta, of the same meaning. That Latin word is also in the family tree of many other English terms related to getting even, including avenge, revenge, vengeance, vindicate, and vindictive.
Examples of vendetta in a Sentence
He waged a personal vendetta against his rivals in the Senate.
Recent Examples on the Web That act dredges up old vendettas, buried secrets and cold ambitions. —
Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 5 Sep. 2024 The winners are: Era 1: CT and Rachel Era 2: Bananas and Laurel Era 3: Cory and Tori Era 4: Horacio and Michele Will the winners try to keep their teams strong or will personal vendettas stand in the way? —Nick Caruso, TVLine, 14 Aug. 2024 For someone to come into our group, have this weird vendetta against me. —Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 1 Aug. 2024 Edwards pegs the murder as the culmination of a personal vendetta. —Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 25 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for vendetta 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vendetta.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
borrowed from Italian, "retribution, revenge, blood feud," going back to Latin vindicta — more at vindictive
First Known Use
1855, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of vendetta was in 1855
Dictionary Entries Near vendetta
Cite this Entry
“Vendetta.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vendetta. Accessed 19 Sep. 2024.
Share
More from Merriam-Webster on vendetta
Last Updated: 13 Sep 2024 - Updated example sentences
Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!