vernacular, adj. and n.2. a. Of a language or dialect: That is naturally spoken by the people of a particular country or district; native, indigenous.
6. Of arts, or features of these: Native or peculiar to a particular country or locality. spec. in vernacular architecture, architecture concerned with ordinary domestic and functional buildings rather than the essentially monumental.
Forms: Also 1600s vernaculer.Etymology: < Latin vernāculus domestic, native, indigenous (hence Italian vernacolo, Portuguese vernaculo), < verna a home-born slave, a native.The Latin adjective occurs in a large variety of applications; the restricted use common in English is represented by vernacula vocabula in Varro.
Lewis & Short offer the following: (highlighting added)
verna, ae, comm. [root vas, to dwell; Sanscr. vāstu, house; Gr. ἄστυ, city], a slave born in his master's house, a homeborn slave.
Lit.: vernas alere, Plaut. Mil. 3, 1, 104; id. Am. 1, 1, 24; Just. 38, 6, 7; Val. Max. 3, 4, 3; Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 15, 2; Hor. Epod. 2, 65; id. S. 1, 2, 117; 2, 6, 66.—In gen. fem., Inscr. Orell. 1320.— Such slaves were trained up as buffoons or jesters, Mart. 1, 42, 2; cf. Sen. Prov. 1, 6; and v. vernilitas.—As a term of abuse, Plaut. Am. 4, 2, 13.—
Transf., a native: de plebe Remi Numaeque verna, Jucundus, etc., Mart. 10, 76, 4; cf.: Romanos vernas appellabant, id est ibidem natos, Fest. p. 372 Müll.—Hence,
Adj.: ver-nus, a, um, native: apri, Mart. 1, 50, 24: lupi, id. 10, 30, 21: tuberes, id. 13, 43, 2: liber, i. e. written in Rome, id. 3, 1, 6.
vernīlĭtas, ātis, f. [vernilis] (mostly post-Aug.).
Cringing obsequiousness, servility, Sen. Ep. 95, 2.—
Coarse, pert, jesting, pertness, Plaut. Fragm. ap. Non. 342, 17; Quint. 1, 11, 2; Plin. 34, 8, 19, § 79.
