vandal

noun

van·​dal ˈvan-dᵊl 

1

capitalized : a member of a Germanic people who lived in the area south of the Baltic Sea between the Vistula and the Oder rivers, overran Gaul, Spain, and northern Africa in the fourth and fifth centuries a.d., and in 455 sacked Rome

2

: one who willfully or ignorantly destroys, damages, or defaces property belonging to another or to the public

vandal adjective often capitalized

Vandalic

van-ˈda-lik 

adjective

Synonyms

• defacer

Examples of vandal in a Sentence

Vandals defaced the school's walls.

a group of vandals broke into the school and painted graffiti on the walls

Recent Examples on the Web

As such, they are often targeted by thieves and vandals. —Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Sep. 2024

Sofia Bravo says her father installed it years ago to keep vandals out and history in. —Sarah Matusek, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 June 2024

Sometime over the weekend, the vandals tore apart planters, broke wooden benches, shattered a ladder and ripped out hoses that were used for an irrigation system at Global Family Elementary School on 40th Avenue in East Oakland. —Jakob Rodgers, The Mercury News, 18 June 2024

Holloway’s apartment building in Brooklyn Heights was vandalized last week with red paint with vandals leaving a box of crickets and mealworms and breaking the glass of the lobby door with a hammer, police said. —Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 12 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Late Latin Vandalī (plural) (Latin Vindilī, Vandiliī), probably borrowed from Germanic *wand-il-, noun derivative from a verbal base *wend- "wind, wrap, turn, move" (whence Old English windan "to twist, move with speed or force"), as in *auza-wandil-, perhaps, "dawn-wanderer," name of a star and mythological figure (whence Old Norse Aurvandill, Old English ēarendel) — more at wind entry 3

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

vandal

noun

van·​dal ˈvan-dᵊl 

1

capitalized : a member of a Germanic people overrunning Gaul, Spain, and northern Africa in the fourth and fifth centuries a.d.

2

: a person who destroys or damages property on purpose

Etymology

from Latin Vandalii (plural) "The Vandals"; of Germanic origin

Word Origin

The Vandals were a Germanic people who originally lived in northern Europe. In the fourth and fifth centuries, however, other barbarian peoples, especially the Huns, forced the Vandals to migrate westward and southward through what are now the lands of France and Spain. They finally settled in northern Africa. But as they migrated, the Vandals did not just pass through an area. They destroyed many cities and towns. They probably were no worse than other barbarians, but they became widely known for destruction. This probably happened because they invaded and looted the city of Rome in 455. They destroyed or ruined much of what they could not take with them. The Vandals were later defeated by the Roman army but their bad reputation caused their name to be used for "a deliberately destructive person."

Legal Definition

vandal

noun

van·​dal ˈvand-ᵊl 

: a person who willfully destroys, damages, or defaces property belonging to another or to the public

Etymology

Vandal, member of a Germanic tribe who sacked Rome in a.d. 455