Where does “worldlywise” come from?
worldlywise (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.
worldlywise (English): Alternative spelling of worldly-wise
Definitions
- Alternative spelling of worldly-wise
Ancestry of “worldlywise”, step by step
worldlywise traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English wise
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | wise | Showing good judgement or the benefit of... |
| 2 | Middle English | wys | wise, thoughtful, proper; knowledgeable; alert,... |
| 3 | Old English | wīs | wise |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | wīsaz | wise, knowledgeable |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | weydstos | knowledgeable |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | weyd- | to see |
via English worldly
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | worldly | Concerned with human or earthly matters, physical... |
| 2 | Middle English | worldly | Of the material world |
| 3 | Old English | woruldlīċ | worldly, earthly, natural, physical, temporal, mundane |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | weraldilīkaz | — |