Where does “will” come from?
Will derives from Middle English wollen, Old English wyllen, and Proto-Germanic wiljô, tracing back through Proto-Indo-European welh₁- meaning to choose or desire.
will (English): To be able to, to have the capacity to
Definitions
- To be able to, to have the capacity to
Ancestry of “will”, step by step
will traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English wullen
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | wullen | Alternative form of wollen |
| 2 | Old English | wyllan | Alternative form of willan; will; to will, be... |
| 3 | Old English | willan | to want; to intend; to be willing |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | willjan | to want |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | wiljaną | to want |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | wélyoyt | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | wélyeti | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | welh₁- | to choose; to want |
via Middle English wollen
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | wollen | Made of wool fibers or fabric spun therefrom;... |
| 2 | Old English | wyllen | made of wool |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | wullīnaz | woolen, made of wool |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | wullō | wool |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂wĺ̥h₁neh₂ | wool |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -nós | Creates verbal adjectives from roots |
via Middle English willen
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | willen | to want something, wish for something; to be... |