Etymology

wilt

W4I1L1T1

Today it means: To droop or become limp and flaccid (as a dying leaf or flower). Full definition →

Middle English welken ← Middle Low German welken
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wilt · verb, noun1

  1. Middle Low German · derived fromwelken“to wither”
  2. Middle English · derived fromwelken
  3. English todaywilt

Recorded since 1691, probably an alteration of welk, itself from Middle English welken, presumed from Middle Dutch (preserved in modern inchoative verwelken) or Middle Low German welken (“to wither”), cognate with Old High German irwelhen (“to become soft”).

wilt · verb2

  1. Proto-West Germanic · derived from*willjan
  2. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*wilt
  3. Old English · inherited fromwilt
  4. Middle English · inherited fromwilt
  5. English todaywilt

From Middle English wilt, from Old English wilt, from Proto-West Germanic *wilt, second person singular preterite-present of Proto-West Germanic *willjan. Cognate with Dutch wilt (“wilt”, second-person singular of willen), German willt (archaic second person singular indicative of wollen).

Words from the same roots

Middle Englishwelken all →

welk

Proto-West Germanic*willjan all →

will

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.