Where does “wield” come from?
wield (Scots) comes from Old English wieldan, from Old English wealdan, from Germanic *waldan, from Proto-Germanic waldaną, from Proto-Indo-European waldʰ- — to be strong, be powerful, prevail, possess.
wield (Scots): To control, to guide or manage
Definitions
- To control, to guide or manage
Ancestry of “wield”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | wieldan | to control; to possess power or authority over;... |
| 2 | Old English | wealdan | to control; to wield; to rule |
| 3 | Germanic | *waldan | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | waldaną | to rule |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | waldʰ- | to be strong, be powerful, prevail, possess |