wily etymology

Etymology:

• Old English "wilig" (c. 1000)
• Proto-Germanic "*wiljō"
• Proto-Indo-European "*wel-" (to wish, to choose)

Meaning:

• Artful, cunning, deceitful
• Clever, resourceful, using trickery

Origin:

The word "wily" comes from the Proto-Indo-European root "*wel-" meaning "to wish, to choose." This root is also the origin of the English words "will," "wish," and "voluntary." Over time, the meaning of "wily" evolved from "desiring or choosing something" to "using cunning or trickery to achieve one's goals."

Examples of Use:

• "The wily fox outsmarted the farmer and escaped with the chickens."
• "A wily politician used underhanded tactics to win the election."
• "The company used wily marketing strategies to increase their sales."

Synonyms:

• Cunning
• Deceitful
• Crafty
• Sly
• Artful

Antonyms:

• Honest
• Forthright
• Sincere
• Straightforward
• Naive

wily relate terms

• wile

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• Wicca

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• lich

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• like

  Etymology is the study of the origin of words and how their meaning has changed over time

• crafty

  Etymology The word crafty comes from the Old English term cræftig meaning strong

• cunning

  Etymology The word cunning comes from the Old English word cunnan which means to k

• foxy

  Etymology of Foxy The origin of the word foxy is uncertain but there are several pla

• pretty

  Etymology Old English prættig Middle English prettie Meaning Physically attra

• magpie

  Etymology The word magpie comes from the Middle English word magpye which is thoug

• slick

  Etymology Middle Dutch slik smooth sleek Proto Germanic slikkaz Proto Indo Europ

• cosmos

  Etymology The word cosmos comes from the Greek word kosmos which means order or u

• save

  Etymology Old French sauve Latin salvus whole safe Meaning To protect or