Where does “wile” come from?
While comes from Old English hwīl, from Proto-West Germanic hwīlu, from Proto-Germanic hwīlō, from Proto-Indo-European kʷyeh₁-, of uncertain ultimate meaning.
wile (English): A trick or stratagem practiced for ensnaring or...
Definitions
- A trick or stratagem practiced for ensnaring or...
Ancestry of “wile”, step by step
wile traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via English while
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | while | An uncertain duration of time, a period of time;... |
| 2 | Middle English | whyle | while |
| 3 | Old English | hwīl | time; while; while; time, while |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | hwīlu | period of rest, pause; time, period of time,... |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | hwīlō | time, period of time, while; period of rest,... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷyeh₁- | to rest; rest, peace |