Where does “wield” come from?
wield (Saterland Frisian) comes from Old Frisian wilde, from Proto-West Germanic wilþī, from Proto-Germanic wilþijaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₂welh₁- — to rule; strong, powerful; hair; wool.
wield (Saterland Frisian): wild
Ancestry of “wield”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Frisian | wilde | — |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | wilþī | wild |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | wilþijaz | wild |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂welh₁- | to rule; strong, powerful; hair; wool |