wise English · revision 4671

+ English has two words spelled ''wise'': the adjective “having good judgement” and the old noun “way, manner”, now mainly in compounds such as ''likewise''.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) They go back to the same root.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /waɪz/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ {{homograph|1|sage}}

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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 725|origins=gem-pro *wīsaz}}

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+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|wis]], [[inh|ang|wīs|t=learned, wise, sane, prudent, experienced]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[gem-pro|*wīsaz]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) also the source of Old Frisian and Old Saxon wīs, Dutch wijs, German weise, Old Norse víss and Gothic -weis.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) It is from the past-participle form *wittos of [[ine-pro|*weyd-|alt=*weid-|t=to see; to know]],^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) and is related to Old English witan “to know”, the source of [[wit]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) It is related to [[wisdom]] and [[witness]].^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Having sound judgement: about 725 in Barnhart, in Beowulf.^(Barnhart 1988) In Old English it also meant learned, cunning, sane and experienced.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Middle English used it of skill in a trade or in war, and a hound good at tracking by scent was ''wise of nese''.^(Etymonline) Informed or aware, as in ''none the wiser'', is from the 12th century.^(Hoad 1986) ''Wiseacre'' (1595) is from Middle Dutch wijssegger “soothsayer”, by association with wise.^(Barnhart 1988) ''Get wise'' is by 1896, ''wise up'' by 1905,^(Etymonline) and ''wisecrack'' from 1915–1924, American English.^(Barnhart 1988) The American ''wise guy'' is late 19th century,^(Cresswell 2021) and also a member of the Mafia since the 1970s.^(Cresswell 2021) ''Streetwise'' is mid 20th century.^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 725 – having good judgement.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1595 – ''wiseacre''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * late 19th century – ''wise guy''.^(Cresswell 2021)

+ * 1896 – ''get wise''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1905 – ''wise up''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1915 – ''wisecrack''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Having or showing good judgement and [[experience]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Sensible or prudent: ''a wise decision''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Having great [[knowledge]]; learned.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''wise to'': aware of, especially of something dishonest.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''wise up'': to become or make aware of the truth.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[wisely]]

+ * [[wisdom]]

+ * [[wiseacre]]

+ * [[wisecrack]]

+ * [[streetwise]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|manner}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 725|origins=gem-pro *wīsō}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|wise]], [[inh|ang|wīse|t=way, manner, custom; condition]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) from [[gem-pro|*wīsō]], “appearance, form, manner”,^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) also the source of Old Saxon wīsa, Dutch wijze, German Weise and Old Norse -vís.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) It comes from the same root as the adjective;^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) Etymonline compares Greek eîdos “form, shape, kind” for the sense change from “seeing” to “way of proceeding”.^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) It is related to [[guise]].^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Way of proceeding, manner: about 725 in Barnhart, in Beowulf.^(Barnhart 1988) Old English wīse also meant a melody.^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The noun is now archaic outside phrases such as ''in no wise'' and ''in this wise''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023) It is most common as the element -wise, used to form adverbs since Old English, as in ''likewise'', ''lengthwise'' (late 16th century) and ''clockwise'' (late 19th century).^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 725 – manner, way.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * late 16th century – ''lengthwise''.^(Cresswell 2021)

+ * late 19th century – ''clockwise''.^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(archaic)'' [[way|alt=Way]] or [[manner]]: ''in no wise'', ''in this wise''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[likewise]]

+ * [[otherwise]]

+ * [[clockwise]]

+ * [[lengthwise]]

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+ ==Related words==

+ * [[wit]]

+ * [[witness]]

+ * [[guise]]

+ * [[idea]]

+ * [[vision]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}