Where does “guile” come from?
guile (Old French) comes from Old English wīl, from Proto-Germanic wīlą, from Proto-Indo-European wéy-, from Proto-Indo-European éǵh₂ — I.
guile (Old French): trickery; deception
Ancestry of “guile”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | wīl | wile, trick |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | wīlą | craft, deceit |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | wéy- | — |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | éǵh₂ | I |
Words derived from “guile”