"mounted sentinel placed in advance of an outpost," 1680s, from French vedette (16c.), from Italian (Florentine) vedetta "watch tower, peep hole," probably from vedere "to see," from Latin videre "to see" (from PIE root *weid- "to see"), or else from Latin vigil "watchful, awake," from PIE root *weg- "to be strong, be lively."
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