Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “wiseling” come from?

wiseling (English) comes from English wise, from Middle English wys, from Old English wīs, from Proto-Germanic wīsaz, from Proto-Indo-European weydstos, from Proto-Indo-European weyd- — to see.

wiseling (English): One who pretends to be wise; a wiseacre

Definitions

  1. One who pretends to be wise; a wiseacre

Ancestry of “wiseling”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwiseShowing good judgement or the benefit of...
2Middle Englishwyswise, thoughtful, proper; knowledgeable; alert,...
3Old Englishwīswise
4Proto-Germanicwīsazwise, knowledgeable
5Proto-Indo-Europeanweydstosknowledgeable
6Proto-Indo-Europeanweyd-to see
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weyd- →