Vacs

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /væks/

Definitions

1. Shortened form or abbreviation referring to devices used to remove air or gas from a space to create a vacuum ; informal term for brief pauses or breaks ; colloquial shorthand for vaccinations or immunizations
2. Informal plural for vacuum systems or cleaners used to extract air or dirt ; casual expression meaning intervals of emptiness or inactivity ; slang abbreviation relating to medical inoculations
3. Informal label for vacuum-related machinery or processes ; casual term indicating times when something is absent or not present ; brief form used for referring to vaccines or shots given to prevent diseases

Etymology: "Vacs" is the plural of "vac", a clipped form of "vacuum" (from Latin "vacuum", meaning "empty space"). Clipping shortens a longer word by dropping its ends, and "vac" is one of many such abbreviations English has produced, so "vacs" in the sense of vacuum cleaners or vacuum pumps is simply the plural of that shortening. The other senses follow the same clipping pattern. Colloquial "vacs" for vaccinations is a separate shortening of "vaccination", built on the Latin "vacca" (cow), since vaccines originally derived from cowpox material. Informal "vac" for a break or holiday is another clipping, this time from "vacation", which itself comes from Latin "vacatio", meaning freedom from duty or leisure.

Synonyms: vacuum cleaners, vacuum pumps, vacuum devices, vacuum systems