"a blistering agent," 1660s, from Medieval Latin vesicantem (nominative vesicans), present participle of vesicare, from vesica "a bladder, a blister" (see ventral). From 1826 as an adjective.
Entries linking to vesicant
ventral adj.
1739, from French ventral or directly from Late Latin ventralis "of or pertaining to the belly or stomach," from Latin venter (genitive ventris) "belly, paunch; stomach, appetite; womb, unborn child," from PIE *wend-tri- (source also of Latin vesica "bladder," Sanskrit vastih "bladder," Old High German wanast, German wanst "paunch, belly"), perhaps from root *udero- "abdomen, womb, stomach" (see uterus).