Where does “fri vilja” come from?

fri vilja (Swedish) comes from Swedish fri, from Middle Low German vrī, from Old Saxon frī, from Proto-West Germanic frī, from Proto-Germanic frijaz, from Proto-Indo-European priHós, from Proto-Indo-European preyH- — to love, to please.

fri vilja (Swedish): free will (ability to choose between different – nonpredetermined – courses of action)

Definitions

  1. free will (ability to choose between different – nonpredetermined – courses of action)

Ancestry of “fri vilja”, step by step

fri vilja traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Swedish fri

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Swedishfrifree, unconstrained; free, not imprisoned,...
2Middle Low Germanvrīfree
3Old Saxonfrīfree
4Proto-West Germanicfrīfree
5Proto-Germanicfrijazfree
6Proto-Indo-EuropeanpriHósdear, beloved; happy, free
7Proto-Indo-EuropeanpreyH-to love, to please

via Swedish vilja

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Swedishviljawill; a person’s intent, volition, decision; to...
2Old Swedishvili—
3Old NorseVíliname of a dwarf
4Proto-Germanicwiljôwill, wish, desire
5Proto-Indo-Europeanwelh₁-to choose; to want
Every word from Proto-Indo-European preyH- →
fri vilja — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer