Where does “wildly” come from?
Wildly derives from Middle English wildely, formed from wilde (wild) plus the adverbial suffix -ly, ultimately from Old English wilde meaning untamed or uncontrolled.
wildly (English): In a wild, uncontrolled manner
Definitions
- In a wild, uncontrolled manner
Ancestry of “wildly”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | wildely | — |
| 2 | Middle English | wilde | — |
| 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 |