The origin of vestige is said to be "from French, from Latin vestigium 'footprint'".
vest- means clothes, so does this prefix apply to vestige ?
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No; vestments (clothing) derives from the Latin vestimentum. Moreover, M-W doesn't list vest- as a prefix.– GnawmeCommented Nov 1, 2013 at 18:31
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2Don't overplay the significant of Latin vestigium = footprint. That's a "figurative" definition, not a literal one. The original Latin was probably just a general term meaning mark, [remaining] trace.– FumbleFingersCommented Nov 1, 2013 at 18:31
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2Indeed. There's one particularly juicy Latin rape scene where the husband returns home to find "another man's footprints in his bed" if you translate it too literally.– Dan HulmeCommented Nov 2, 2013 at 0:14
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1 Answer
The etymologies of vestigo "to track" and vestis "clothing" are most probably not related, according to Lewis & Short:
vestis, is, f. [Sanscr. root vas-, to put on; Gr. ἑσ-, fεσ-; cf. ἕννυμι, ἐσθής], the covering for the body, clothes, clothing, attire, vesture
ve-stīgo, no perf. and sup., āre, 1, v. a. [etym. dub.; perh. Sanscr. vahis (bahis), out, and stigh-, to climb; cf. Gr. στίχος, a row, etc.; Angl. -Sax. stīgan; Germ. steigen, to climb].
I. Prop., to follow in the track of; to track, trace out
answered Dec 18, 2013 at 23:56
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