vitaile

• fetayle, vetaille, vetel, victuayle, vitaill, vitaille, vitaylle, viteill, vitell, vittaille, vytayle

From Old French vitaile,[1] from Latin victuālia.

• IPA^(key): /viˈtɛi̯l(ə)/, /ˈvitəl(ə)/

vitaile (plural vitailes or vitaile)

1. (primarily as a plural) That which provides nutrition; food, nourishment.
   • 1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Prologues”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], OCLC 230972125; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: Printed by [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, OCLC 932884868, “The Frere”, lines 246–248, column 2:

     It is not honeſt, it maye not auaunce / For to deale wyth ſuche porayle / But all wyth ryche and ſellers of vytayle

     It is not honest, it may not advance / To deal with such poor people / But all with rich, and sellers of food

2. A ration or rations, victuals; one's store of food for journeying.
3. Food yielded from agriculture.

• vitailen
• vitailler
• vitaillyng

• English: victual, vittle
• Scots: victual

Borrowed from Middle French vitaillier.

vitaile

1. Alternative form of vitailen

Latin victuālia, the nominative plural of victuālis, from victus, from the verb vīvō (“I live”).

vitaile f (oblique plural vitailes, nominative singular vitaile, nominative plural vitailes)

1. (chiefly in the plural) provisions; vittle; food
   • circa 1110,, Benedeit, Le Voyage de saint Brandan:

     Tant cum durat lur vitaile

     For as long as their provisions lasted

• Middle English: vitaille (borrowed)
  • English: vittle