victim (English)

Where does "victim" come from?

The English noun 'victim' entered the language from Middle French 'victime'[1]. The French term traces back to Latin 'victima', meaning 'sacrificial animal'[1]. This Latin word ultimately descends from the Proto-Indo-European root '*weyk-', meaning 'to choose', 'separate out', 'set aside as holy', 'consecrate', or 'sacrifice'[2]. This same root also yielded terms such as Proto-Germanic '*wīhą', meaning 'sacred place or thing', and the English word 'witch'[2].

Full etymology tree

• victim (English), 'One that is harmed—killed, injured, subjected to oppression, deceit, or otherwise adversely affected—by someone or something, especially another person or event, force, or condition; in particular'
  • borrowed victime (Middle French)
    • inherited victima (Latin), 'sacrificial victim'
      • derived *weyk- (Proto-Indo-European), 'to sift, separate'

Ancestors

• *weyk- (Proto-Indo-European)
• victima (Latin)

Descendants and derived words

• fall victim (English)
• fashion victim (English)
• perfect victim (English)
• play the victim card (English)
• professional victim (English)
• suicide victim (English)
• victim blaming (English)
• victim-blaming (English)
• victim-blaming (English)
• victim feminism (English)
• victim impact statement (English)
• victim mentality (English)

Sources

1. victim (English) - Wiktionary
2. victima (Latin) - Wiktionary

Updated August 2026

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Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris