vigil en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈvɪd͡ʒəl/
Etymology
From Middle English vigile (“a devotional watching”), from Old French vigile, from Latin vigilia (“wakefulness, watch”), from vigil (“awake”), from Proto-Indo-European *weǵ- (“to be strong, lively, awake”). Doublet of Wigilia. See also wake and vigor, from the same root.
Meanings
-
An instance of keeping awake during normal sleeping hours, especially to keep watch or pray.
Mortenson, who asked to use a pseudonym for this story, says she has been attending rallies and vigils in her home state to regain her optimism, but she’s finding it tough.
2025 March 3, Nico Lang, ““Simply Trying to Exist”: How Trans Americans Are Navigating the Confusion and Chaos of Trump’s Passport Policy”, in Them, archived from the original on 13 Mar 2025:Eventually the body trade grew so reckless that relatives took to holding graveside vigils, lest their loved ones disappear in the night.
2016, Colson Whitehead, The Underground Railroad, Fleet (2017), page 165:A vigil was held for Ms. Cheptegei on Wednesday night, Ms. Indimuli said, with many women praying that she would survive.
2024 September 5, Isabella Kwai, John Yoon, “Rebecca Cheptegei, Olympic Runner From Uganda, Dies After Gasoline Attack”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 13 Sep 2024:I saw her head drooped upon her hand; her whole attitude expressing that profound depression, whose lonely vigil wastes the midnight in a gloomy watch, which yet hopes for nothing at its close.
1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XII, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume II, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 149:
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A period of observation or surveillance at any hour.
His dog kept vigil outside the hospital for eight days while he was recovering from an accident.
- The eve of a religious festival in which staying awake is part of the ritual devotions.
-
A quiet demonstration in support of a cause.
The protesters kept vigil outside the conference centre in which the party congress was being held.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| vigils | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
coma vigil · keep vigil · candlelight vigil
Relateds
vigilance · vigilation · vigilous · vigilant
Synonyms
qui vive (watch, especially at night) · watch (watch, especially at night) · look-out (watch, especially at night) · lookout (watch, especially at night)
Translations (87)
bg бде́ние (keeping awake) · pl czuwanie (keeping awake) · gl vixilia (period of observation or surveillance) · it veglia (keeping awake) · mt sahra (eve of a religious festival) · de Mahnwache (quiet demonstration) · cs vigilie (eve of a religious festival) · ja 見張り (period of observation or surveillance) · fi aatto (eve of a religious festival) · sk bdenie (keeping awake) · ast vixilia (keeping awake) · ru бде́ние (keeping awake) · el ολονυκτία (eve of a religious festival) · uk чування (keeping awake) · ko 밤새움 (keeping awake) · es vigilia (keeping awake) · sh бдје́ње (keeping awake) · de Wache (period of observation or surveillance) · ca vetlla (keeping awake) · el αγρυπνία (keeping awake) · ja 寝ずの番 (keeping awake) · ja 警戒 (period of observation or surveillance) · nl waak (keeping awake) · ga bigil (eve of a religious festival) · sh bdjénje (keeping awake) · pt vigia (period of observation or surveillance) · de Vigil (eve of a religious festival) · fi valvojaiset (keeping awake) · sv vaka (keeping awake) · pt vigília (eve of a religious festival) · nl wake (keeping awake) · gl vixilia (keeping awake) · sh bdȉjēnje (keeping awake) · cmn 警戒 (period of observation or surveillance) · es vigilia (eve of a religious festival) · fi hiljainen mielenosoitus (quiet demonstration) · cs hlídka (period of observation or surveillance) · ceb tukaw (keeping awake) · de Vigil (period of observation or surveillance) · ro gardă (keeping awake) · la pervigilium (eve of a religious festival) · eo vigilo (period of observation or surveillance) · bg дежурство (period of observation or surveillance) · uk бдіння (eve of a religious festival) · fr veille (keeping awake) · fi vahti (period of observation or surveillance) · ka ფხიზლობა (keeping awake) · ka სიფხიზლე (keeping awake) · la vigilia (period of observation or surveillance) · cmn 守夜祈禱 /守夜祈祷 (eve of a religious festival) · ga cathais (keeping awake) · es víspera (eve of a religious festival) · ro veghe (keeping awake) · fi vartio (period of observation or surveillance) · cmn 值夜 (keeping awake) · fr veillée (quiet demonstration) · ro așteptare (period of observation or surveillance) · tl lamay (keeping awake) · fi vartiovuoro (period of observation or surveillance) · fi yövartio (keeping awake) · gl vixilia (eve of a religious festival) · cs bdění (keeping awake) · gl vixilia (quiet demonstration) · de Nachtwache (eve of a religious festival) · ja 徹夜 (keeping awake) · grc παννυχίς (eve of a religious festival) · uk чування (eve of a religious festival) · ro observare (period of observation or surveillance) · fi valvominen (keeping awake) · el επαγρύπνηση (period of observation or surveillance) · cy gwylnos (eve of a religious festival) · uk неспання (keeping awake) · cs stráž (period of observation or surveillance) · ru пикети́рование (quiet demonstration) · sh бди̏је̄ње (keeping awake) · de Nachtwache (keeping awake) · uk варта (period of observation or surveillance) · pdt Wacht (period of observation or surveillance) · ca vigília (keeping awake) · de Wache (keeping awake) · ar اِعْتِصامٌ (quiet demonstration) · uk бдіння (keeping awake) · sq prag (eve of a religious festival) · pt vigília (keeping awake) · uk пильнування (period of observation or surveillance) · la vigilia (keeping awake) · ko 밤샘 (keeping awake)