English
wisdom
Wisdom comes from Proto-Germanic *wīsaz ‘wise, knowledgeable’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *weyd- ‘to see’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*weyd-‘to see’root as named
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*weyd-s-ós‘knowledgeable’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*wīsaz‘wise, knowledgeable’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*wīsadōmazreconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*wīsadōmreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150wīsdōm
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500wisdom
- Englishearliest quotation 1652same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*weyd-‘to see’root as named
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*weyd-s-ós‘knowledgeable’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*wīsaz‘wise, knowledgeable’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*wīsadōmazreconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*wīsadōmreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150wīsdōm
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500wisdom
- Englishearliest quotation 1652same form
Earliest quotation: 1652, Eugenius Philalethes, The Fame and Confeſſion of the Fraternity of…the Roſie Croſs: “Wiſdom…is to a man an infinite Treaſure, for ſhe…”
Formed from wise + -dom
Proto-Indo-European *weyd- ‘to see’
…
Proto-Indo-European *weyd-s-ós
Proto-Germanic *wīsaz ‘knowledgeable’
Old English wīs
Middle English wys ‘wise’
English wise
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *weyd- ‘to see’
story, video, guy, idea, provide, evidence, review, advice, interview, visit, guide, vision, witness, historic, evident, invisible, advise, visa, historian, wizard, idol, wit, visibility, vista, prudent, steroid, witty, tabloid, revise, envious, guise, prudence, revue, druid, vide, purview, improvise, voyeur, avis, purveyor, 117 more
through Proto-Indo-European *weyd-s-ós ‘knowledgeable’
through Proto-Germanic *wīsaz ‘wise, knowledgeable’
Today it means
noun An element of personal character that enables one to distinguish the wise from the unwise.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *weyd- / wisdom