English
wisely
Wisely comes from Middle English wisliche ‘Guided by discretion, prudence or sagacity’, from Old English wīs ‘wise’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *weyd- ‘to see, to know’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*weyd-‘to see, to know’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*weyd-s-ós‘knowledgeable’reconstructedextension of *weyd-
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*wīsaz‘wise, knowledgeable’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150wīs‘wise’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150wīslīċe
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500wisliche‘Guided by discretion, prudence or sagacity’
- Englishearliest quotation 1900wisely
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*weyd-‘to see, to know’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*weyd-s-ós‘knowledgeable’reconstructedextension of *weyd-
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*wīsaz‘wise, knowledgeable’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150wīs‘wise’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150wīslīċe
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500wisliche‘Guided by discretion, prudence or sagacity’
- Englishearliest quotation 1900wisely
Earliest quotation: 1900, Lyman Frank Baum, Chicago: “My second command to the Winged Monkeys," said Glinda…”
Formed from wise + -ly
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, to know’
story, video, guy, idea, provide, evidence, review, advice, interview, visit, guide, vision, witness, historic, evident, idol, invisible, visa, historian, wizard, wit, advise, visibility, vista, prudent, steroid, witty, tabloid, envious, prudence, revue, revise, druid, vide, guise, purview, voyeur, improvise, avis, purveyor, 118 more
through Proto-Germanic *wīsaz ‘wise, knowledgeable’
through Old English wīs ‘wise’
Today it means
adv In a wise manner; using good judgement.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *weyd- / wisely