vinc/vict

conquer or overcome

Spelled vinc, vict · Latin vincere 'to conquer,' with participle victus 'conquered'

Latin vincere meant conquer: armies vanquish opponents, arguments convince listeners, and an invincible defender cannot be overcome.

Words built from it

evince — to show or reveal clearly
Latin e- (out) + vincere (conquer) → evincere (overcome, establish by proof)
invincible — impossible to defeat
Latin in- (not) + vincere (conquer) + -ibilis (able to be)
convict — to find someone guilty of a crime
Latin con- (thoroughly) + vincere (conquer) → convincere (prove guilty), participle convictus
convince — to persuade someone that something is true
Latin con- (thoroughly) + vincere (conquer) → convincere (overcome with proof)
victory — success in a contest, struggle, or battle
Latin vincere (conquer) → victor (conqueror) → victoria (success in overcoming)
vanquish — to defeat completely
Latin vincere (conquer) → Old French veincre, extended stem veinquiss- → English vanquish

victim — Contains vict, but comes from Latin victima, an animal offered in sacrifice; it has no connection to vincere (conquer).