Etymograph

English

vol

Vol (heraldry) is borrowed from French vol ‘flight’.

  1. Frenchc. 1600–presentvol1‘flight’
  2. Englishtodayvol1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English vol

Lineage

  1. Frenchc. 1600–presentvolWiktionary, English vol‘flight’
  2. EnglishtodayvolWiktionary, English vol

Word family

English words that share an ancestor with vol, grouped by the ancestor they share, most familiar first.

through French voler ‘to fly through the air’

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Today it means

noun A heraldic symbol consisting of a pair of outstretched wings, often conjoined at their shoulders.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “vol”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / French vol / vol