A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

vassal (n.) --- 1303 (implied in vassalage) "tenant who pledges fealty to a lord," from O.Fr. vassal, from M.L. vassallus "manservant, domestic, retainer," from vassus "servant," from O.Celt. *wasso- "young man, squire" (cf. Welsh gwas "youth, servant," Bret. goaz "servant, vassal, man," Ir. foss "servant"). The adj. is recorded from 1593.

vast --- 1575, from M.Fr. vaste, from L. vastus "immense, extensive, huge," also "desolate, unoccupied, empty." The two meanings probably originally attached to two separate words, one with a long -a- one with a short -a-, that merged in early Latin (see waste). Very popular early 18c. as an intensifier.

vat --- c.1225, southern variant (see V) of O.E. fæt "container, vat," from P.Gmc. *fatan (cf. O.S., O.N. fat, O.Fris. fet, M.Du., Du. vat, O.H.G. faz, Ger. faß).

vates --- 1625, "poet or bard," specifically "Celtic divinely inspired poet" (1728), from L. vates "sooth-sayer, prophet, seer," cognate with O.Ir. faith "poet," Welsh gwawd "poem," O.E. wod "mad, frenzied" (see wood (adj.)). Hence vaticination "oracular prediction" (1603).

Vatican --- 1555, from L. mons Vaticanus, Roman hill on which Papal palace stands. An Etruscan loan-word, not related to vates "sooth-sayer."

vaudeville --- 1739, "light, popular song," especially one sung on the stage, from Fr. vaudeville, alteration (by influence of ville "town") of M.Fr. vaudevire, said to be from (chanson du) Vau de Vire "(song of the) valley of Vire," in the Calvados region of Normandy, first applied to the popular satirical songs of Olivier Basselin, a 15c. poet who lived in Vire. The other alternative is that vaudevire derives from M.Fr. dialectal vauder "to go" + virer "to turn." The meaning "theatrical entertainment interspersed with songs" first recorded 1827. Vaudevillian (n.) is attested from 1913.

Vaughan --- from Welsh fychan, mutation of bychan "small."

vault (n.) --- arched roof or ceiling, c.1300, vaute, from O.Fr. voute "arch, vaulted roof," from V.L. *volta, contraction of *volvita, noun use of fem. of *volvitus, alteration of L. volutus "bowed, arched," pp. of volvere "to turn, turn around, roll" (see vulva). The -l- appeared in Eng. c.1400.

vault (v.) --- jump or leap over, 1531 (implied in vaulting), from M.Fr. volter "to gambol, leap," from It. voltare "to turn," from V.L. *volvitare "to turn, leap," frequentative of L. volvere "to turn, turn around, roll" (see vulva).

vaunt --- 1340 (implied in vaunting), from M.Fr. vanter "to praise, speak highly of," from L.L. vanitare "to boast," frequentative of L. vanare "to utter empty words," from vanus "idle, empty" (see vain).

Vauxhall --- popular pleasure garden on south bank of Thames in London, c.1661-1859; the name is M.E. Faukeshale (1279), "Hall or manor of a man called Falkes," an O.Fr. personal name.

VCR --- 1971, acronym from videocassette recorder.

veal --- c.1386, from Anglo-Fr. vel, from O.Fr. veel "a calf" (Fr. veau), earlier vedel, from L. vitellus, dim. of vitulus "calf," perhaps originally "yearling," if related, as some think, to Skt. vatsah "calf," lit. "yearling;" Goth. wiþrus, O.E. weðer (see wether; cf. also veteran).

vector --- quantity having magnitude and direction, 1704, from L. vector "one who carries or conveys, carrier," from pp. stem of vehere "carry, convey" (see vehicle).

Veda --- ancient sacred Hindu book, 1734, from Skt. veda "knowledge, sacred book," from root vid- "to know," from PIE base *weid- "to see" (related to wit, and to Avestan vaeda "I know," L. videre "to see;" see vision). The books are the Rig-, Yajur-, Sama-, and Atharva-veda.

vedette --- mounted sentinel placed in advance of an outpost, 1690, from Fr., from It. vedetta, probably from vedere "to see" (see vista).

veejay --- 1982, from video, on model of deejay (see disk).

veep --- 1949, Amer.Eng. headline word, coined from V.P., abbreviation of vice president.

veer --- 1582, "to change direction" (originally with ref. to the wind), from M.Fr. virer "to turn," of uncertain origin, perhaps from the L. stem vir- in viriæ (pl.) "bracelets;" or perhaps from a V.L. contraction of L. vibrare "to shake."

Vega --- 1638, bright northern star, from Arabic (Al Nasr) al Waqi translated variously as "the eagle of the desert" or "the falling vulture."

vegan --- 1944, from vegetable (n.) + -an; coined by Donald Watson to distinguish those who abstain from all animal products (eggs, cheese, etc.) from those who merely refuse to eat the animals.

vegetable (adj.) --- c.1400, "living and growing as a plant," from O.Fr. vegetable "living, fit to live," from M.L. vegetabilis "growing, flourishing," from L.L. vegetabilis "animating, enlivening," from L. vegetare "to enliven," from vegetus "vigorous, active," from vegere "to be alive, active, to quicken," from PIE *weg- "be strong, lively," related to watch (v.), vigor, velocity, and possibly witch (see vigil). The meaning "resembling that of a vegetable, dull, uneventful" is attested from 1854 (see vegetable (n.)).

vegetable (n.) --- 1582, originally any plant, from vegetable (adj.); specific sense of "plant cultivated for food, edible herb or root" is first recorded 1767. Slang shortening veggie first recorded 1955. The O.E. word was wyrte. Meaning "person who leads a monotonous life" is recorded from 1921. The commonest source of words for vegetables in IE languages are derivatives of words for "green" or "growing" (cf. It., Sp. verdura, Ir. glasraidh, Dan. grøntsager). For a different association, cf. Gk. lakhana, related to lakhaino "to dig."

vegetarian --- 1839, irregular formation from vegetable (n.) + -arian, as in agrarian, etc. "The general use of the word appears to have been largely due to the formation of the Vegetarian Society in Ramsgate in 1847."

vegetate (v.) --- 1605, "to grow as plants do," perhaps a back-formation from vegetation, or from L. vegetatus, pp. of vegetare "to enliven, to animate" (see vegetable). Sense of "to lead a dull, empty, or stagnant life" is from 1740.

vegetation --- 1564, "act of vegetating," from M.Fr. végétation, from M.L. vegetationem (nom. vegetatio) "a quickening, action of growing," from vegetare "grow, quicken" (see vegetable). Meaning "plant life" first recorded 1727.

vehement --- 1485, from M.Fr. vehement "impetuous, ardent," from L. vehementem (nom. vehemens) "impetuous, carried away," perhaps from a lost present middle participle of vehere "to carry" (see vehicle). The other theory is that it represents vehe- "lacking, wanting" + mens "mind."

vehicle --- 1612, "a medium through which a drug or medicine is administered," 1615 in the sense of "any means of conveying or transmitting," from Fr. véhicule, from L. vehiculum "means of transport, a vehicle," from vehere "to carry," from PIE *wegh- "to go, transport in a vehicle" (cf. O.E. wegan "to carry;" O.N. vegr, O.H.G. weg "way;" M.Du. wagen "wagon;" see wagon). Sense of "cart or other conveyance" first recorded 1656.

veil --- c.1225, from Anglo-Fr. and O.N.Fr. veil (O.Fr. voile) "a head-covering," also "a sail," from L. vela, pl. of velum "sail, curtain, covering," from PIE base *weg- "to weave." Vela was mistaken in V.L. for a fem. sing. noun. The verb (1382) is from O.Fr. veler, voiller,, from L. velare "to cover, veil," from velum. Fig. sense of "to conceal" (something immaterial) is recorded from 1538. To take the veil "become a nun" is attested from c.1325.

vein --- c.1300, from O.Fr. veine, from L. vena "a blood vessel," also "a water course, a vein of metal, a person's natural ability or interest," of unknown origin. The mining sense is attested in Eng. from 1387. Fig. sense of "strain or intermixture" (of some quality) is recorded from 1567; that of "a humor or mood, natural tendency" is first recorded 1577.

velar (adj.) --- 1726, from L. velaris, from velum "sail, curtain" (see veil). Originally an architect's term for a type of cupola; phonetics sense is from 1876, on notion of "pertaining to the velum," the anatomist's name for the soft palate (velum in this sense is attested from 1771, in full velum palati). The noun meaning "a velar guttural" is recorded from 1886.

Velcro --- 1960, proprietary name (Britain), from Fr. vel(ours) cro(ché) "hooked velvet."

veldt --- South African grassland, 1785, from Afrikaans, from older Du. veld "field;" related to Eng. field (n.).

vellum --- c.1430, from O.Fr. velin "parchment made from calfskin," from vel, veel "calf" (see veal).

velocipede --- 1819, "wheeled vehicle propelled by the feet on the ground," from Fr. vélocipède, from L. velox (gen. velocis) "swift" + pedem, acc. of pes "foot." Applied to an early kind of bicycle or tricycle in 1849.

velocity --- c.1550, from L. velocitatem (nom. velocitas) "swiftness, speed," from velox (gen. velocis) "swift," of uncertain origin, perhaps related to vehere "carry" (see vehicle), or from the same root as vegetable (see vigil).

velodrome --- building for bicycle races, 1902, from Fr. vélodrome, from vélo, colloq. abbreviation of vélocipède (see velocipede) + -drome, as in hippodrome.

velour --- 1706, from Fr. velours "velvet," from O.Fr. velour, alteration of velous, from O.Prov. velos, from L. villosus (adj.) "shaggy" (in M.L. "velvet"), from villus "shaggy hair, tuft of hair" (see velvet).

Velox --- type of paper made by a process patented 1893 by Leo Baekeland, who sold it to George Eastman in 1899 for $1 million and used the money to build the laboratory where he made great discoveries in plastics (see Bakelite).

velvet --- 1320, probably from O.Prov. veluet, from V.L. *villutittus, dim. of V.L. villutus "velvet," lit. "shaggy cloth," from L. villus "shaggy hair, nap of cloth, tuft of hair," probably a dialectal variant of vellus "fleece."

velveteen --- imitation velvet (made with cotton in place of silk), 1776, from velvet + commercial suffix -een (variant of -ine).

venal --- 1652, "offered for sale, capable of being obtained for a price," from Fr. vénal, from L. venalis "that is for sale," from venum (nom. *venus) "for sale," from PIE base *wes- "to buy, sell" (cf. Skt. vasnah "purchase money," vasnam "reward," vasnayati "he bargains, haggles;" Gk. onos "price paid, purchase," oneisthai "to buy"). Venality is attested from 1611, from L.L. venalitatem (nom. venalitas) "capable of being bought," from venalis.

vend --- 1382 (implied in vendible), from L. vendere "to sell, praise," contraction of vendumare "offer for sale," from venum "for sale" (see venal) + dare "to give" (see date (1)). Vendor is from 1594, from late Anglo-Fr. vendor, from vendre "to vend," from L. vendere "to sell." Vending machine is recorded from 1895.

vendetta --- 1855, from It. vendetta "a feud, blood feud," from L. vindicta "revenge" (see vindictive). Especially associated with Corsica.

vendue --- public sale, auction, 1686, from Du. vendu, from Fr. vendue "sale," from vendre "to sell," from L. vendere (see vend).

veneer --- 1702, from Ger. Furnier, from furnieren "to cover with a veneer, inlay," from Fr. fournir "to furnish, accomplish," from M.Fr. fornir "to furnish," from a Gmc. source (cf. O.H.G. frumjan "to provide;" see furnish). A word batted back and forth from German to French to German. Fig. sense of "mere outward show of some good quality" is attested from 1868. The verb is recorded from 1728.

venerable --- 1432, from L. venerabilis, from venerari "to worship, revere" (see veneration). As a title, used in ref. to ecclesiastics or those who had obtained the first degree of canonization.

veneration --- c.1410, from M.Fr. veneration, from L. venerationem (nom. veneratio) "reverence," from venerari "to worship, revere," from venus (gen. veneris) "beauty, love, desire" (see Venus). Venerate (v.) is first recorded 1623, from L. veneratus, pp. of venerari.

venereal --- 1432, "of or pertaining to sexual desire or intercourse," from L. venereus, from venus (gen. veneris) "sexual love, sexual desire" (see Venus). Used of sexually transmitted diseases from 1658.

venery --- pursuit of sexual pleasure, 1497, from M.L. veneria "sexual intercourse," from L. venus (gen. veneris) "sexual love, sexual desire" (see Venus). In earlier use it may have been felt as a play on now obsolete homonym venery "practice or sport of hunting, the chase" (c.1320), from O.Fr. venerie, from L. venari "to hunt" (see venison).

vengeance --- 1297, from Anglo-Fr. vengeaunce, O.Fr. vengeance "revenge," from vengier "take revenge," from L. vindicare "to set free, claim, avenge" (see vindicate). Vengeful (1586) is from obsolete M.E. venge "take revenge" (c.1300).

venial --- c.1300, from O.Fr. venial, from L. venialis "pardonable," from venia "forgiveness, indulgence, pardon," related to venus "sexual love, desire" (see Venus).

Venice --- from M.L. Venetia, from Veneti (Gk. Ouenetoi), name of an ancient people of Illyrian origin. Venetian blinds attested from 1791.

venison --- c.1290, from O.Fr. venesoun "meat of large game," especially deer or boar, also "a hunt," from L. venationem (nom. venatio) "a hunt," also "game as the product of the hunt," from venatus, p.p. of venari "to hunt, pursue," probably from PIE base *wen- "to strive after" (cf. Skt. veti "follows after," Avestan vayeiti "hunts," Lith. veju "to hunt, pursue," O.C.S. voji "warrior," O.E. waþ "hunting," O.N. veiðr "chase, hunting, fishing;" see Venus).

Venn diagram --- 1884, named for Eng. logician John Venn (1834-1923).

venom --- c.1220, from Anglo-Fr. and O.Fr. venim, from V.L. *venimen, from L. venenum "poison, drug, potion," perhaps ultimately connected to venus "erotic love" (see Venus), in which case the original meaning might have been "love potion." The meaning "bitter, virulent feeling or language" is first recorded c.1300.

venous --- 1626, from L. venosus "full of veins," from vena (see vein).

vent (v.) --- 1398, "emit from a confined space," probably aphetic of O.Fr. eventer "let out, expose to air," from V.L. *exventare, from L. ex- "out" + ventus "wind" (see wind (n.)). Sense of "express freely" first recorded 1596. The noun meaning "hole, opening, outlet" is first recorded 1570. Meaning "action of venting" is recorded from 1558. Sense of "divulge, publish" (1596) is behind phrase vent one's spleen (see spleen).

ventilate --- c.1440, "to blow away something" (of wind), from L. ventilatus, pp. of ventilare "to brandish, toss in the air, winnow, fan, agitate, set in motion," from ventulus "a breeze," dim. of ventus "wind" (see wind (n.)). Original notion is of cleaning grain by tossing it in the air and letting the wind blow away the chaff. Meaning "supply a room with fresh air" first recorded 1664 (implied in ventilation). Slang sense of "to shoot" (someone) is recorded from 1875.

ventral --- 1739, from Fr. ventral, from L.L. ventralis "of or pertaining to the belly or stomach," from L. venter (gen. ventris) "belly, paunch," from PIE *wend-tri- (cf. L. vesica "bladder," Skt. vastih "bladder," O.H.G. wanast, Ger. wanst "paunch, belly").

ventricle --- 1392, from L. ventriculus "stomach," dim. of venter (gen. ventris) "belly" (see ventral).

ventriloquy --- 1584, from L.L. ventriloquus, from L. venter (gen. ventris) "belly" + loqui "speak." Patterned on Gk. engastrimythos, lit. "speaking in the belly," which was not originally an entertainer's trick but rather a rumbling sort of internal speech, regarded as a sign of spiritual inspiration or (more usually) demonic possession. Reference to the modern meaning seems to have begun early 18c., and by 1797 it was being noted that this was a curiously inappropriate word to describe throwing the voice. Ventriloquist is from 1656; ventriloquism is from 1797.

venture (v.) --- c.1436, "to risk the loss" (of something), shortened form of aventure, itself a form of adventure. General sense of "to dare, to presume" is recorded from 1559. Noun sense of "risky undertaking" first recorded 1566; meaning "enterprise of a business nature" is recorded from 1584. Venture capital is attested from 1943.

venue --- c.1330, "a coming for the purpose of attack," from O.Fr. venue "coming," from fem. pp. of venir "to come," from L. venire "to come," from PIE base *gwa- "to go, come" (cf. O.E. cuman "to come;" see come). The sense of "place where a case in law is tried" is first recorded 1531. Extended to locality in general, especially "site of a concert or sporting event" (1857). Change of venue is from Blackstone (1768).

Venus --- O.E., from L. Venus (pl. veneres), in ancient Roman mythology, the goddess of beauty and love, especially sensual love, from venus "love, sexual desire, loveliness, beauty, charm," from PIE base *wen- "to strive after, wish, desire, be satisfied" (cf. Skt. vanas- "desire," vanati "desires, loves, wins;" Avestan vanaiti "he wishes, is victorious;" O.E. wynn "joy," wunian "to dwell," wenian "to accustom, train, wean," wyscan "to wish"). Applied by the Romans to Gk. Aphrodite, Egyptian Hathor, etc. Meaning "second planet from the sun" is attested from c.1290 (O.E. had morgensteorra and æfensteorra). The venus fly-trap (Dionæa muscipula) was discovered 1760 by Gov. Arthur Dobbs in North Carolina and description sent to Collinson in England. The Algonquian name for the plant, titipiwitshile, yielded regional Amer.Eng. tippity wichity.

veracity --- 1623, from Fr. véracité, from M.L. veracitatem (nom. veracitas) "truthfulness," from L. verax (gen. veracis) "truthful," from verus "true" (see very).

veranda --- 1711, from Hindi varanda, which probably is from Port. varanda, originally "long balcony or terrace," of uncertain origin, possibly related to Sp. baranda "railing," and ultimately from V.L. *barra "barrier, bar." Fr. véranda is borrowed from Eng.

verb --- 1388, from O.Fr. verbe "part of speech that expresses action or being," from L. verbum "verb," originally "a word," from PIE base *were- (cf. Avestan urvata- "command;" Skt. vrata- "command, vow;" Gk. rhetor "public speaker," rhetra "agreement, covenant," eirein "to speak, say;" Hittite weriga- "call, summon;" Lith. vardas "name;" Goth. waurd, O.E. word "word").

verbal (adj.) --- 1484, "dealing with words" (especially in contrast to things or realities), from L. verbalis "consisting of words, relating to verbs," from verbum "word" (see verb). Verbal conditioning is recorded from 1954. Colloquial verbal diarrhea is recorded from 1823.

verbalize --- 1609, "use too many words," from Fr. verbaliser (16c.); see verbal. Meaning "express in words" is attested from 1875.

verbatim --- 1481, from M.L. verbatim "word for word," from L. verbum "word" (see verb).

verbena --- genus of plants, the vervain, 1562, from L. verbena "leaves or twigs of olive, myrtle, laurel, or other sacred plants employed in religious ceremonies," from PIE *werbh- (cf. Lith. virbas "twig, branch, scion, rod"), from base *werb- "to turn, bend" (see warp).

verbiage --- 1721, from Fr. verbiage "wordiness" (17c.), from M.Fr. verbier "to chatter," from O.Fr. verbe "word," from L. verbum "word" (see verb).

verbose --- 1542 (implied in verbosity), from L. verbosus "full of words, wordy," from verbum "word" (see verb).

verdant --- 1581, "green," from M.Fr. virdeant "becoming green," prp. of O.Fr. verdeiier "become green," from V.L. *viridiare "grow green, make green," from L. viridis "green" (see verdure).

verdict --- 1533, from M.E. verdit (1297), "a jury's decision in a case," from Anglo-Fr. verdit (O.Fr. voirdit), from ver, veir "true" (see very) + dit, pp. of dire "to say" (see diction). Spelling infl. by M.L. verdictum.

verdigris --- 1300, from O.Fr. verte grez (13c.), verte de Grece (c.1170), lit. "green of Greece," from obs. Fr. verd, from L. viridis (see verdure). The reason for it being called that is not known.

verdure --- c.1300, "fresh green color," from O.Fr. verdure "greenness," from verd, variant of vert "green," from L. viridis (cf. Sp., It. verde), related to virere "be green," of unknown origin. Perhaps ult. from a root meaning "growing plant" and cognate with Lith. veisti "propagate," O.N. visir "bud, sprout," O.E. wise "sprout, stalk, etc." Meaning "green plants, vegetation" is attested from c.1400.

verge (n.) --- edge, rim, 1459, from M.Fr. verge "rod or wand of office," hence "scope, territory dominated," from L. virga "shoot, rod stick," of unknown origin. Earliest attested sense in Eng. is now-obsolete meaning "male member, penis" (c.1400). Modern sense is from the notion of within the verge (1509, also as Anglo-Fr. dedeinz la verge), i.e. "subject to the Lord High Steward's authority" (as symbolized by the rod of office), originally a 12-mile radius round the king's court. Sense shifted to "the outermost edge of an expanse or area." Meaning "point at which something happens" (as in on the verge of) is first attested 1602. "A very curious sense development." [Weekley]

verge (v.) --- tend, incline, 1610, from L. vergere "to bend, turn, tend toward, incline," from PIE *werg- "to turn," from base *wer- "to turn, bend" (see versus). Much influenced by verge (n.) in its verbal form meaning "to be adjacent to" (1787).

verify --- c.1325, from O.Fr. verifier, from M.L. verificare "make true," from L. verus "true" (see very) + root of facere "to make" (see factitious).

verily --- c.1300, from M.E. verray "true, real" (see very) + -ly.

verisimilitude --- 1603, from Fr. verisimilitude (1549), from L. verisimilitudo "likeness to truth," from veri, genitive of verum, neut. of verus "true" (see very) + similis "like, similar" (see similar).

veritable --- 1474, from Anglo-Fr. and O.Fr. veritable "true," from verité (see verity) + -able. Probably lost mid-17c. and reborrowed or revived after 1830.

verity --- c.1375, from Anglo-Fr. and O.Fr. verite "truth," from L. veritatem (nom. veritas) "truth, truthfulness," from verus "true" (see very). Mod.Fr. vérité, lit. "truth," borrowed 1966 as a term for naturalism or realism in film, etc.

vermicelli --- kind of pasta, 1669, lit. "little worms," from It., pl. of vermicello, dim. of verme, acc. sing. of L. vermis "worm" (see worm). So called for resemblance.

vermiform --- worm-shaped, 1730, from Mod.L. vermiformis, from L. vermis "worm" (see worm) + forma "form" (see form).

vermilion --- 1296, "cinnabar, red dye," from O.Fr. vermeillon, from vermeil "bright-red," from L.L. vermiculus "a little worm," specifically, the cochineal insect from which crimson dyes were obtained (see cochineal), in classical L., "larva of an insect, grub, maggot," dim. of vermis "worm" (see worm).

vermin --- c.1300, "noxious animals," from Anglo-Fr. and O.Fr. vermin, from V.L. *verminum "vermin," possibly including bothersome insects, collective noun formed from L. vermis "worm" (see worm). Extended to "low, obnoxious people" by 1562.

Vermont --- U.S. state, 1777, name is based on Fr. for "Green Mountain," but perhaps was formed by one with limited knowledge of Fr., where the correct form would be Mont Vert (as in the Fr. village of Pont-de-Montvert).

vermouth --- 1806, from Fr. vermouth, from Ger. Wermuth "wormwood," from M.H.G. wermuot, from O.H.G. wermuota (see wormwood), name of the aromatic herb formerly used in the flavoring of the liqueur.

vernacular --- 1601, "native to a country," from L. vernaculus "domestic, native," from verna "home-born slave, native," a word of Etruscan origin. Used in Eng. in the sense of L. vernacula vocabula, in reference to language.

vernal --- pertaining to spring, 1534, from L. vernalis "of the spring," from vernus "of spring," from ver "spring," from PIE *wesr- "spring" (cf. O.N. var "spring," Gk. ear, Skt. vasantah, Pers. bahar, O.C.S. vesna "spring," Lith. vasara "summer").

vernier --- 1766, device for making precise measurements, from name of inventor, Fr. mathematician Paul Vernier (1580-1637), who described it in a tract published 1631.

Veronica --- fem. proper name, a variant of Gk. Berenike (see Berenice). The popular "Saint Veronica" (not in the Roman Martyrology) traditionally was a pious woman who wiped the face of Christ when he fell carrying the cross to Calvary. The image of his face remained on the cloth, and the "veil of Veronica" has been preserved in Rome from the 8c. Her popularity rose with the propagation of the Stations of the Cross. Some also identified her with the woman with the issue of blood, cured by Christ, as in the East this woman was identified from an early date by the name Berenike.