Where does “Wile” come from?
Wile (English) comes from Middle English wile, from Old English wīl, from Proto-Germanic wīlą, from Proto-Indo-European wéy-, from Proto-Indo-European éǵh₂ — I.
Ancestry of “Wile”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | wile | wile, trick, artifice; a sorcerer |
| 2 | Old English | wīl | wile, trick |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | wīlą | craft, deceit |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | wéy- | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | éǵh₂ | I |