Where does “willen” come from?
willen (Middle Low German) comes from Old Saxon willian, from Proto-West Germanic willjan, from Proto-Germanic wiljaną, from Proto-Indo-European wélyoyt, from Proto-Indo-European wélyeti, from Proto-Indo-European welh₁- — to choose; to want.
Ancestry of “willen”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Saxon | willian | to want |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | willjan | to want |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | wiljaną | to want |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | wélyoyt | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | wélyeti | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | welh₁- | to choose; to want |
Words derived from “willen”