Etymology Explorer › Middle High German

Where does “wille” come from?

wille (Middle High German) comes from Old High German willo, from Proto-West Germanic willjō, from Proto-Germanic wiljô, from Proto-Indo-European welh₁- — to choose; to want.

Ancestry of “wille”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old High Germanwillowill, wish, desire
2Proto-West Germanicwilljōwill, wish, desire
3Proto-Germanicwiljôwill, wish, desire
4Proto-Indo-Europeanwelh₁-to choose; to want

Words derived from “wille”

  • Wille
  • Mutwille
  • willenlos
  • Willen
  • willensstark
  • Wille
Every word from Proto-Indo-European welh₁- →