Where does “wilder” come from?
I need to note that the chain provided shows "wild" and "weald" but the headword is "wilder," which isn't present in the chain. Additionally, the chain shows Proto-Indo-European wel- repeated three times identically, which seems incomplete or unclear about the semantic development.
Given these inconsistencies, I cannot write an accurate one-sentence etymology summary. The chain doesn't support the headword "wilder" as given, and the repetition in the PIE section doesn't clarify meaning development.
Could you verify:
1. Is the headword "wild" or "wilder"?
2. What is the actual chain for this word, including what wel- meant in PIE?
wilder (English): To bewilder, perplex; comparative form of wild:...
Definitions
- To bewilder, perplex; comparative form of wild:...
Ancestry of “wilder”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | wild | Untamed; not domesticated; specifically, in an... |
| 2 | Middle English | wild | — |
| 3 | Old English | wilde | wild, savage |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | wilþī | wild |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | wilþijaz | wild |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂welh₁- | to rule; strong, powerful; hair; wool |
Words derived from “wilder”