vandal
Americannoun
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(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.
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a person who willfully or ignorantly destroys or mars something beautiful or valuable.
adjective
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(initial capital letter) of or relating to the Vandals.
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imbued with or characterized by vandalism.
noun
noun
Other Word Forms
- Vandalic adjective
- Vandalism noun
Etymology
Origin of vandal
First recorded in 1545–55, vandal is from the Late Latin word Vandalus, Latinized tribal name
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Mystery vandals have caused almost £40,000 worth of damage to the machines by covering them in glue – weeks before they have had the chance to collect a single charge.
From BBC
The mysterious case of a chain-saw-wielding vandal who appeared to randomly terrorize trees in and around downtown Los Angeles last year has come to an anticlimactic close.
From Los Angeles Times
The plaque was later found in a nearby square, prosecutors said, adding the vandals had not entered the school building.
From Barron's
In a bid to foil graffiti vandals, Caltrans has installed artificial ivy along U.S.
From Los Angeles Times
She even wondered if it had been ripped up, if some vandals had taken it.
From Literature
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
