Where does “ill” come from?
Ill comes from Middle English ille, from Old Norse illr, from Old Norse íllr, from Proto-Indo-European h₁elk-, meaning to behave badly or act wrongly.
ill (English): Evil; wicked; Morally reprehensible ;...
Definitions
- Evil; wicked; Morally reprehensible ;...
Ancestry of “ill”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | ille | evil; wicked |
| 2 | Old Norse | íllr | — |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | ilhilaz | bad, evil |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁elḱ- | — |