Where does “well-will” come from?
well-will (English) comes from English Will, from English william, from Middle English William, from Anglo-Norman Willame, from Old High German Willahelm, from Old High German helm, from Proto-West Germanic helm, from Proto-Germanic helmaz — to pierce, strike; to stick; prick; stab.
well-will (English): A caring or favorable attitude; a fondness or favor
Definitions
- A caring or favorable attitude; a fondness or favor
Ancestry of “well-will”, step by step
well-will traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Will
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Will | A weak-side linebacker |
| 2 | English | william | radiotelephony clear-code word for the letter W |
| 3 | Middle English | William | — |
| 4 | Anglo-Norman | Willame | — |
| 5 | Old High German | Willahelm | William |
| 6 | Old High German | helm | helmet |
| 7 | Proto-West Germanic | helm | helmet |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | helmaz | helmet |
| 9 | Proto-Germanic | halmaz | halm; stem; stalk; straw; hay |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱolh₂mos | stalk |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱelh₂- | to pierce, strike; to stick; prick; stab |
via English well
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | well | Accurately, competently, satisfactorily;... |
| 2 | Middle English | wellen | to boil, to bubble |
| 3 | Old English | weallan | to well |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | wallaną | to well up, spring out, bubble forth |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | wēlH- | to roll, to undulate |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | welH- | to turn, to wind |