vandal

[ van-dl ]

noun

1. (initial capital letter) a member of a Germanic people who in the 5th century a.d. ravaged Gaul and Spain, settled in Africa, and in a.d. 455 sacked Rome.
2. a person who willfully or ignorantly destroys or mars something beautiful or valuable.

adjective

1. (initial capital letter) of or relating to the Vandals.
2. imbued with or characterized by vandalism.

Vandal

¹

/ vænˈdælɪk; ˈvændəl /

noun

1. a member of a Germanic people that raided Roman provinces in the 3rd and 4th centuries ad before devastating Gaul (406–409), conquering Spain and N Africa, and sacking Rome (455): crushed by Belisarius at Carthage (533)

vandal

²

/ ˈvændəl /

noun

1. 1. a person who deliberately causes damage or destruction to personal or public property
   2. ( as modifier )

      vandal instincts

Derived Forms

• Vandalic, adjective
• ˈVandalˌism, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of vandal¹

First recorded in 1545–55, vandal is from the Late Latin word Vandalus, Latinized tribal name

Word History and Origins

Origin of vandal¹

C17: from Vandal , from Latin Vandallus, of Germanic origin

Example Sentences

By removing vandals’ scratches and spray paint, he restores the natural, chaotic surface of the rock.

From Outside Online

Later, one vandal splashed the statue with pink paint, while a second took up the task by spray painting the word “Monster” on the rearing horse’s flank.

From The Daily Beast

Calvin Woehrie told WUSA the vandals used a blade to slash the Pride flag that was hanging from his house.

From Washington Blade

The Loudoun County’s Sheriff’s Office said the vandals damaged five Pride flags from three homes and they stole two more.

From Washington Blade

Yes, it has its problems—generations of philosophers would scoff at the notion that any single article could possibly represent the entire “truth” of a thing, and it endures constant attacks from vandals attempting to change the historical record.

From Time

Last month, an apparent pro-life vandal destroyed the abortion clinic in Kalispell, Montana.

From The Daily Beast

Mayor Bloomberg agreed that the “vandal” must be caught and charged with vandalism.

From The Daily Beast

A dangerous vandal threatening the city back into a 1980s-style decline?

From The Daily Beast

Mr. Assange is a dangerous vandal masquerading as a moral crusader.

From The Daily Beast

Congratulations," reads Letterbombing.com in its welcoming headline, "You're about to become an Internet vandal.

From The Daily Beast

The neighbors coming in to see the strange discovery, tore one of the pieces to atoms, in the true Hun and Vandal style.

From Project Gutenberg

Signor Vandal, wat, do yo go to de wensh in dit little basket.

From Project Gutenberg

A little farder, Signer Vandal, and den may put you head into de window, and cash de wensh.

From Project Gutenberg

Nearly all our public buildings were hit, and the places of worship were again a mark for the vandal.

From Project Gutenberg

Its pages had been separated by some vandal who probably wanted to sell two autographs instead of one.

From Project Gutenberg