wisdom etymology

Etymology:

  • From Middle English wisdom, from Old English wīsdōm, from Proto-West Germanic wīsōmi, from Proto-Germanic wīsamą (wise counsel, custom, law*), from Proto-Indo-European *wid- ("to know, see").

Meaning:

  • The quality or state of being wise; the ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting; sound judgment.
  • Knowledge or understanding based on experience or learning.
  • A saying or proverb that embodies a general truth or lesson.

Origin:

The word "wisdom" has its roots in the Proto-Indo-European word *wid-, which means "to know" or "to see." This root is also found in other words related to knowledge and understanding, such as "wit," "wizard," and "wisdom."

In Old English, the word wīsdōm was used in a variety of senses, including "knowledge," "understanding," "prudence," and "wisdom." The word was also used to refer to the body of knowledge and understanding that was traditionally passed down from generation to generation.

Over time, the meaning of "wisdom" has shifted somewhat. It is now more commonly used to refer to the ability to make sound judgments and decisions, rather than to the body of knowledge that is traditionally passed down. However, the word still retains its original sense of "knowledge" and "understanding."

wisdom relate terms

  • wise

    Etymology Old English wis noun and wisian verb Germanic root wit meaning to

  • doom

    Etymology The word doom comes from the Old English word dōm which has several mean

  • advice

    Etymology The word advice comes from the Old French word avis which in turn comes fr

  • advise

    Etymology From Latin ad to towards visus seen sight Meaning To inform

  • belvedere

    Etymology Belvedere derives from the Italian belvedere meaning beautiful view M

  • clairvoyant

    Etymology clair French clear voyant French seeing Meaning Clairvoyant r

  • Druid

    Etymology The word druid derives from the Proto Celtic word druwid which is of uncer

  • eidetic

    Etymology The word eidetic is derived from the Greek word eido meaning to see M

  • eidolon

    Etymology The word eidolon comes from the Ancient Greek word εἴδωλον eídōl

  • envy

    Etymology The word envy comes from the Old French word envier which means to

  • evident

    Etymology Evident comes from the Latin word evidens which means clear obvious or

  • guide

    Etymology The word guide originates from the Old French word guier which itself come

  • guidon

    Etymology The word guidon has French roots It originates from the Old French word gui

  • guise

    Etymology The word guise is derived from the Old French word guise which in turn is

  • Gwendolyn

    Etymology The name Gwendolyn is derived from the Welsh word gwen meaning fair or wh

  • Hades

    Etymology The name Hades derives from the Greek word Haides which originally meant th

  • history

    Etymology Greek ἱστορία historia inquiry knowledge acquired by investigati

  • idea

    Etymology The word idea is derived from the Greek word idein ἰδεῖν meaning

  • ideo

    Etymology The word ideo is derived from the Latin phrase idem de idem which means t

  • idol

    Etymology The word idol originates from the Greek word eidōlon meaning image or

  • idyll

    Etymology The word idyll derives from the Greek word εἰδύλλιον eidyllion

  • improvisation

    Etymology The word improvisation is derived from the Latin word improvisus which me

  • improvise

    Etymology The word improvise originates from the Latin improvisus meaning unforese

  • interview

    Etymology Interviu is derived from the French word entrevue which literally means

  • invidious

    Etymology The word invidious comes from the Latin word invidia meaning envy grudge

  • kaleidoscope

    Etymology Prefix Kalo Greek beautiful Stem Eidos Greek form shape Suffix sc

  • penguin

    Etymology The word penguin is derived from the Welsh word pen gwyn which means whi

  • polyhistor

    Etymology Polyhistor is derived from the Greek words poly meaning many and histo

  • prevision

    Etymology Latin praevīdere to foresee Roots prae before videre to see

  • provide

    Etymology The word etymology comes from the Greek words etymon meaning true sense

  • providence

    Etymology The word providence comes from the Latin word providentia which means fo

  • prudent

    Etymology Latin prudens present participle of providere look ahead foresee from pr

  • purvey

    Etymology Middle English purveien from Anglo Norman French purveier from Late Latin

  • purview

    Etymology Latin pro videre meaning to foresee or to provide for Meaning and O

  • review

    Etymology The word review derives from the Old French word reveue which in turn come

  • revise

    Etymology refers to the origin and historical development of a word or morpheme It involv

  • story

    Etymology The word story comes from the Middle English word storie which in turn com

  • supervise

    Etymology Latin supervidere meaning to oversee supervise Derived from super o

  • survey

    Etymology French survoir to look over oversee Meaning A method of gathering

  • unwitting

    Etymology The word unwitting is derived from the Old English words un negation and

  • Veda

    Etymology The word Veda comes from the Sanskrit root vid meaning to know or to s

  • vide

    Etymology Latin vidēre to see Proto Indo European weid to see Meaning

  • view

    Etymology The word etymology is derived from the Greek words etymon true meaning an

  • visa

    Etymology Visa derives from the Latin phrase visa pro exibit meaning seen for depart

  • visage

    Etymology The word visage comes from the Old French word vis which in turn comes fr

  • vision

    Etymology Vision is derived from the Latin word visio which means sight or seeing

  • visit

    Etymology Latin visitare from visere meaning to go to see Ultimately derived fr

  • visor

    Etymology The word visor comes from the Old French word visiere which in turn deriv

  • vista

    Etymology The word vista is derived from the Italian word vista which means view

  • wise

    Etymology Old English wis noun and wisian verb Germanic root wit meaning to

  • wise

    Etymology Old English wis noun and wisian verb Germanic root wit meaning to

  • wisdom

    Etymology From Middle English wisdom from Old English wīsdōm from Proto West German

  • wiseacre

    Etymology Wise Middle English acre Latin ager Meaning A person who pret

  • witenagemot

    Etymology The term witenagemot is derived from the Old English words witan meaning

  • witting

    Etymology The word witting comes from the Old English word witan which means to kno

  • folly

    Etymology The word folly is derived from the Old French word folie which itself is d

  • sapience

    Etymology The word sapience comes from the Latin word sapiens which means wise or

  • Sophia

    Etymology Greek Σοφία Sophia meaning wisdom Origin The name Sophia has a

  • Prudence

    Etymology Latin Prudentia Meaning Foresight Wisdom Common sense Caution Discretion

  • lip service

    Etymology The term lipservice is derived from two words Lip The physical fleshy pa

  • depth

    Etymology The word depth comes from the Old English word dēop which is related to t

  • good

    Etymology is the study of the origin and history of words It traces the development of wo

  • discernment

    Etymology Old French discernement Latin discernere to separate distinguish Proto