English word origin

Etymology of vibe

Apocopic form of vibration, vibrator, etc.

2 source sectionsBrief source recordWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Unnumbered source etymology · variant 1/2

Original entry ↗

verb

To stimulate with a vibrator. · To relax and enjoy oneself. · To agree. · To get along; to hit it off.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Apocopic form of vibration, vibrator, etc.

This page abbreviates 3 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "apocopic form",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "vibration"
      },
      "expansion": "Apocopic form of vibration"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "vibration",
      "vibration#English"
    ],
    [
      "vibrator",
      "vibrator#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "lang_code": "nl",
      "word": "viben",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "verb",
      "glosses": [
        "To stimulate with a vibrator.",
        "To relax and enjoy oneself.",
        "To agree.",
        "To get along; to hit it off."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "colloquial",
        "transitive",
        "intransitive"
      ],
      "recordId": "93cd888a8c4d428750369a875bb01df21373b7ee8d89f4cfd45f5fa4e7550bac",
      "rawRecordSha256": "27a95b032e7539d605694ce25342f593d54f14f692916190b92e4596d75c116c",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 266202
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 3,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Unnumbered source etymology · variant 2/2

Original entry ↗

noun

An atmosphere or aura felt to belong to a person, place or thing. · Gut feeling, an impression based on intuition instead of solid data. · The use of AI to perform a task without expertise, generally without validating the output deeply. · Something that is good, trendy, pleasant, or atmospheric; a thing or person with a good vibe.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Apocopic form of vibration, vibrator, etc.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "apocopic form",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "vibration"
      },
      "expansion": "Apocopic form of vibration"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "vibration",
      "vibration#English"
    ],
    [
      "vibrator",
      "vibrator#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "lang_code": "nl",
      "word": "vibe",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "An atmosphere or aura felt to belong to a person, place or thing.",
        "Gut feeling, an impression based on intuition instead of solid data.",
        "The use of AI to perform a task without expertise, generally without validating the output deeply.",
        "Something that is good, trendy, pleasant, or atmospheric; a thing or person with a good vibe."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "in-plural",
        "informal",
        "often",
        "plural-normally",
        "attributive"
      ],
      "recordId": "27151120725d21d27877f983bdbb99b27b7363f9f83550bc5f80234b61b07ce0",
      "rawRecordSha256": "b4ae9ba038369353e3f57c09df14895cc0e04eb16874ae57dd6cf9d7212c5f45",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 266201
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
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    "lexicalSenses": 3,
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  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

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Contribute located evidence for vibe →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-dmliZQ