Where does “guilt” come from?

Guilt derives from Middle English gilt, from Old English gylt, whose original meaning remains uncertain.

guilt (English): Responsibility for wrongdoing; The state of...

Definitions

  1. Responsibility for wrongdoing; The state of...

Ancestry of “guilt”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishgilt
2Old Englishgyltguilt
3Lithuaniangultilie, lie down; fall ill, sick; wilt, droop
4Proto-Kartveliangwel-snake

Words derived from “guilt

Every word from Proto-Kartvelian gwel-
guilt — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer