Where does “guile” come from?

Guile derives from Middle English gile, from Anglo-Norman gile, from Old French guile, from Frankish wigila, of uncertain ultimate origin.

guile (English): Astuteness often marked by a certain sense of...

Definitions

  1. Astuteness often marked by a certain sense of...

Ancestry of “guile”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishgilegill
2Anglo-Normangile—
3Old Frenchguiletrickery; deception
4Old Englishwīlwile, trick
5Proto-Germanicwīlącraft, deceit
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwéy-—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanéǵh₂I

Words derived from “guile”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European éǵh₂ →Every word from Proto-Indo-European wéy- →Every word from Proto-Germanic wīlą →