Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/wīlą

This Proto-Germanic entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Germanic

Etymology

Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *weh₁y- (“to turn, bend”) + *-ilą (“neuter agentive suffix”). The suffix is the neuter form of *-ilaz.

Noun

*wīlą n

1. craft
2. deceit

Inflection

neuter a-stemDeclension of *wīlą (neuter a-stem)
	singular	plural
nominative	*wīlą	*wīlō
vocative	*wīlą	*wīlō
accusative	*wīlą	*wīlō
genitive	*wīlas, *wīlis	*wīlǫ̂
dative	*wīlai	*wīlamaz
instrumental	*wīlō	*wīlamiz

Descendants

• Old English: wīl
  • Middle English: wile
    • English: wile
• → Old French: guile (see there for further descendants)
• Old Norse: vél, væl
  • Icelandic: vél