vacance

English

Etymology

From Middle French vacance, from Medieval Latin vacantia.^[1] Doublet of vacancy.

Noun

vacance (plural vacances)

1. (obsolete) A vacation.
   • 1876, James Grant, History of the Burgh and Parish Schools of Scotland, page 189:

     On the petition of the scholars of the grammar school of Cupar, on 6th August 1678, for a vacance, in order that they may 'recreate' themselves, and visit their friends, the council allow them a holiday till 23d September next.

References

1. “vacance, n.”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.

French

Etymology

From vacant.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /va.kɑ̃s/

Noun

vacance f (plural vacances)

1. vacancy, free position
2. (plural only) holidays

   Attention, les gars, écoutez. Les vacances sont terminées ; aujourd’hui on se remet au travail.

   Attention, guys, listen. The holidays are finished ; today we get back to work.

3. vacation

Derived terms

• amour de vacances
• colonie de vacances
• pécule de vacances

 

Related terms

• vacances
• vacanter

Descendants

• → Alemannic German: Vakanz
• → German: Vakanz
• → Italian: vacanza
  • → Ladino: vakansas
  • → Romanian: vacanță
• → Luxembourgish: Vakanz

Further reading

• “vacance”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.