bewilder

Pronunciation

• IPA: /bɪˈwɪldə(ɹ)/ (UK); /bɪˈwɪldɚ/ (US)^[1]

Etymology

It is from English be- (“thoroughly”) + wilder (“to lead astray, lure into the wilds”).^[2][3][4][5] The archaic verb wilder (1613) is probably a back-formation from wilderness.^[3][4][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

To confuse in mental perception, to perplex (1684);^[6][7][4] Barnhart notes that it first occurs as the participle bewildered.^[4] The literal sense, “to lose someone in pathless places”, follows in the OED from 1685.^[6]

Semantic evolution

The American Heritage Dictionary argues that the literal sense, “to make someone lose their way”, is the clue to the word's origin, even though the figurative sense “to confuse” has always been more common.^[3] Etymonline compares wildered “at a loss” (1640s) and notes earlier words of similar meaning, bewhape and bewhatle.^[2]

Timeline

• 1613 – wilder, to cause to lose one's way.^[3]
• 1684 – bewildered, to confuse or perplex.^[6][7][4]
• 1685 – to lose in pathless places.^[6]

Modern meaning

Verb

1. To confuse or puzzle completely, especially through a great number or variety of things or considerations.
2. To make someone lose their bearings; to disorient.

Word family

• bewilderedly
• bewilderedness
• bewilderingly
• bewildered
• bewilderment

Related words

• wilderness
• wild

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ a b c d The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
4. ^ a b c d e Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
5. ^ Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
6. ^ a b c d Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ a b Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster