Where does “wilderment” come from?
wilderment (English) comes from English wilder, from English wild, from Middle English wild, from Old English wilde, from Proto-West Germanic wilþī, from Proto-Germanic wilþijaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₂welh₁- — to rule; strong, powerful; hair; wool.
wilderment (English): The state of being bewildered; confusion;...
Definitions
- The state of being bewildered; confusion;...
Ancestry of “wilderment”, step by step
wilderment traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English wilder
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | wilder | To bewilder, perplex; comparative form of wild:... |
| 2 | English | wild | Untamed; not domesticated; specifically, in an... |
| 3 | Middle English | wild | — |
| 4 | Old English | wilde | wild, savage |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | wilþī | wild |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | wilþijaz | wild |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂welh₁- | to rule; strong, powerful; hair; wool |