victual n.

c. 1300, vitaylle (singular), from Anglo-French and Old French vitaille "food, nourishment, provisions," from Late Latin victualia "provisions," noun use of plural of victualis "of nourishment," from victus "livelihood, food, sustenance, that which sustains life," from past participle stem of vivere "to live" (from PIE root *gwei- "to live"). Spelling altered early 16c. to conform with Latin, but pronunciation remains "vittles."

1520s, "furnish again with provisions" (transitive), from re- "back, again" + victual (v.). Intransitive sense of "renew one's stock of provisions" is from 1610s. In early use often revittle. Related: Revictualed; revictualing.