Where does “wild” come from?

wild (Low German) comes from Middle Low German wilde, from Old Saxon wildi, from Proto-West Germanic wilþī, from Proto-Germanic wilþijaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₂welh₁- — to rule; strong, powerful; hair; wool.

wild (Low German): wild

Definitions

  1. wild

Ancestry of “wild”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Low Germanwilde—
2Old Saxonwildiwild
3Proto-West Germanicwilþīwild
4Proto-Germanicwilþijazwild
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂welh₁-to rule; strong, powerful; hair; wool
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂welh₁- →Every word from Proto-Germanic wilþijaz →Every word from Proto-West Germanic wilþī →