Vaux

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A historical French noble title denoting a lord or a knight in the feudal system
2. Referring to a specific region or estate in France, typically associated with aristocratic land ownership
3. An archaic term for a manor or large residence, often linked to the upper classes in medieval society

Etymology: Many places in France were named for the low ground between hills, using the Old French "val," meaning "valley," which came from Latin "vallis." Its plural, "vaux," is the form that ended up on maps and in names, and places such as Vaux and Vaux-sur-Seine trace back to it. The same name travelled into English and Scottish use as a family name and a place name. In these cases it still points to a landscape feature, a valley, rather than to a building. Its later use as a term for a grand residence is a separate matter, so the name's history is best understood as geographic.