- vault (n.1)
- "arched roof or ceiling," c.1300, vaute, from Old French voute "arch, vaulted roof," from Vulgar Latin *volta, contraction of *volvita, noun use of fem. of *volvitus, alteration of Latin volutus "bowed, arched," past participle of volvere "to turn, turn around, roll" (see vulva). The -l- appeared in English c.1400.
- vault (v.)
- "jump or leap over," 1530s (implied in vaulting), from Middle French volter "to gambol, leap," from Italian voltare "to turn," from Vulgar Latin *volvitare "to turn, leap," frequentative of Latin volvere "to turn, turn around, roll" (see vulva). Related: Vaulted; vaulting.
- vault (n.2)
- "a leap," 1763, from vault (v.).