A vendetta is a prolonged and bitter feud or rivalry, often involving a series of retaliatory acts or a blood feud between families or groups. It originally referred to a private feud, especially common in Corsican or Sicilian culture, where the relatives of a murdered person seek revenge by killing the murderer or one of their relatives. More generally, it can describe any long-lasting and hostile dispute or series of actions aimed at causing harm to a disliked person or group. The term comes from the Italian word for "vengeance" and implies a deep-seated, often personal, desire for retribution that may persist over time. It can also metaphorically apply to prolonged personal or political conflicts where one party pursues another with hostility or revenge. In summary, a vendetta is not just a single act of revenge but a continuing cycle or pattern of vengeful behavior or hostile acts between parties.