Late 18th century: from Latin, ablative of via 'way, road'.

• The Latin word via meant ‘way, road’. It survives in the names of major Roman roads, such as Via Appia. The Christian Church also uses it in terms such as the Via Dolorosa, the route Jesus is believed to have taken to crucifixion and meaning ‘the painful path’. A deviation (Late Middle English) is literally a turning away from the path as is behaviour that is devious (late 16th century). Viaduct was formed from via in the early 19th century on the model of aqueduct (see duct). An envoy (mid 17th century) is someone sent on their way, formed from French envoyé ‘sent’, while obvious (late 16th century) comes from Latin ob viam ‘in the way’.