vigia

[prettygoodword]

vigia (vi-JEE-uh) - n., warning on a navigational chart indicating a reef or other hazard whose existence or position is uncertain.


Which are put on the charts just in case they're really there. There's three on this map, one "doubtful" and two "very doubtful":


Thanks, WikiMedia!

Dates from the 1860s, from either Spanish vigía, watch/lookout/reef or directly from its source Portuguese vigia, noun derivative of vigiar, to watch/keep vigil, from Latin vigilāre, to keep watch, from PIE *weǵ-, be strong/lively/awake.

---L.

Comments

[dewline]

I should be paying more attention to these sorts of mapping practices.

[prettygoodword]

Heh.

I want to know the lexical equivalent.