What does vicing mean?
Vicing is the present participle and gerund of vice in the sense of acting as a deputy or substitute. It is used when a person temporarily or permanently performs another person’s official role, often under a title such as vice-chancellor or vice-governor. The expression is uncommon in ordinary conversation and more typical of institutional, legal, political, or historical prose. Modern writers often prefer clearer alternatives such as acting as vice for, serving as deputy, or substituting for. The word should not be confused with vice as a moral fault, or with a vice as a clamping tool. Although its modern sense is technical and rare, vicing preserves a direct institutional idea of substitution. Its ultimate Latin ancestry also connects it with vicar, vicarious, and viceroy, all of which developed from vicarius, a word for a substitute or deputy.
verbTo act as the vice to someone; to serve as a substitute for a person holding an office.
- To act as a vice, deputy, or substitute for someone holding an office.
"After the minister fell ill, the deputy began vicing for him."
"She spent three months vicing for the undersecretary while the post was vacant."
"His name appeared on the commission only because he had been vicing for its absent chairman."
Behind vicing is an old idea of substitution: Latin vicarius meant “a substitute,” so vicing means “acting as a deputy.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of vicing
The English noun vice in the sense “deputy” derives through Old French from Latin vicarius, meaning “a substitute” or “deputy.” Vicing was formed from this noun with the present-participle ending -ing. Its Latin root also produced cognates including vicar, vicarious, and viceroy.
How vicing is actually used
Rare and somewhat formal, vicing is typical of institutional, legal, political, or historical writing. In general usage, phrases such as “acting as vice for” or “serving as deputy” are usually clearer and more natural.