wile

wile · noun, verb¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*weyk-“to consecrate, hallow, make holy”
2. Proto-Germanic · derived from*wigulą
3. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*wey-“to turn, bend”
4. Proto-Germanic · derived from*wīlą“craft, deceit”
5. Old English · derived fromwīl“wile, trick”
6. Old Northern French · derived fromwile“guile”
7. Middle English · derived fromwile
8. English todaywile

From Middle English wile, wyle, from Old Northern French wile (“guile”) and Old English wīl (“wile, trick”) and wiġle (“divination”), from Proto-Germanic *wīlą (“craft, deceit”) (from Proto-Indo-European *wey- (“to turn, bend”)) and Proto-Germanic *wigulą, *wihulą (“prophecy”) (from Proto-Indo-European *weyk- (“to consecrate, hallow, make holy”)). Cognate with Icelandic vél, væl (“artifice, craft, device, fraud, trick”), Dutch wijle. Doublet of guile.

wile · verb²

The phrase meaning to pass time idly is while away. We can trace the meaning in an adjectival sense for while back to Old English, hwīlen, "passing, transitory". It is also seen in whilend, "temporary, transitory". But since wile away occurs so often, it is now included in many dictionaries.

Wile · proper noun³

1. Middle English · inherited fromwile
2. English todayWile

From Middle English wile, an occupational surname for a trapper or a nickname for a wily person.

Words from the same roots