Where does “guilty” come from?

Guilty comes from Middle English gulty, from Old English gyltiġ, meaning having committed an offense or transgression.

guilty (English): Responsible for a dishonest act; Judged to have...

Definitions

  1. Responsible for a dishonest act; Judged to have...

Ancestry of “guilty”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishgiltyguilty
2Old Englishgyltiġoffending, guilty
3Old Englishgyltguilt
4Lithuaniangultilie, lie down; fall ill, sick; wilt, droop
5Proto-Kartveliangwel-snake

Words derived from “guilty”

Every word from Proto-Kartvelian gwel- →Every word from Lithuanian gulti →Every word from Old English gylt →