This ability is written Vanishing X. A permanent with vanishing enters the battlefield with X time counters on it. At the beginning of its controller's upkeep, a time counter is removed. When the last counter is removed, the card is sacrificed. Vanishing was introduced in Time Spiral and is an updated version of an older mechanic, fading. Vanishing... Found on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Magic:_The_Gathering_keywords#Typecycl
Van'ish·ing adjective & noun from Vanish , v. Vanishing fraction (Math.) , a fraction which reduces to the form &frac00; for a particular value of the variable which enters it, usually in consequence of the existence of a common factor in both terms... Found on http://www.encyclo.co.uk/webster/V/6
vanishing 1. Beginning to disappear. 2. Suddenly disappearing from sight. 3. A sudden or mysterious disappearance. 4. Quickly going away and passing out of sight. Found on http://www.wordinfo.info/words/index/info/view_unit/4286/