vendetta

[ven-det-uh]

noun

1. a private feud in which the members of the family of a murdered person seek to avenge the murder by killing the slayer or one of the slayer's relatives, especially such vengeance as once practiced in Corsica and parts of Italy.

2. any prolonged and bitter feud, rivalry, contention, or the like.

   a political vendetta.

vendetta

/ vɛnˈdɛtə /

noun

1. a private feud, originally between Corsican or Sicilian families, in which the relatives of a murdered person seek vengeance by killing the murderer or some member of his family

2. any prolonged feud, quarrel, etc

Other Word Forms

• vendettist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of vendetta¹

First recorded in 1850–55; from Italian, from Latin vindicta “vengeance”; vindictive

Word History and Origins

Origin of vendetta¹

C19: from Italian, from Latin vindicta, from vindicāre to avenge; see _vindicate

Example Sentences

But there is a Venn diagram to his vendettas, an overlap in his circle of obsessions.

Read more on Salon

The lawsuit alleges that Dr. Tidmarsh used his FDA position to continue a “personal vendetta” against Mr. Tang.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Regardless, the series picks up steam, propulsion and speed once a viewer gets past the establishment of all the characters and their vendettas.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Holding macroeconomic policy hostage to eccentric theories about trade and personal vendettas against central bankers is another.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

During a fringe event at Labour's party conference this week, Rachel Reeves reportedly joked the government had a vendetta against the peer.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• bickering 
• grudge 
• hostility 
• quarrel 
• revenge 
• rivalry 
• squabble