Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

wieldy

/ˈwildi/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.07 in modern English

Syllables
wiel-dy
IPA
/ˈwildi/
13
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Capable of being easily wielded or managed; handy.

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English weeldy, weldy (“agile, vigorous; of a shield: easy or satisfying to wield”), from welden (“to govern, preside over, reign, rule; to command, control, dominate; to dwell, reside; to accomplish, bring about; to overcome, prevail; to handle (a tool, weapon, etc.), use”). By surface analysis, wield + -y. Compare also Old English ġewielde (“controlling, dominant”), from Proto-West Germanic *waldī, from Proto-Germanic *waldiz (“manageable; powerful”), possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁- (“to rule; powerful, strong”). Later uses of sense 2 (“capable of being easily wielded”) are likely a back-formation from unwieldy.

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: *h₂welh₁-, weeldy

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈwildi/
  • British English: /ˈwiːldi/

Inflected Forms

more wieldy (comparative) wieldier (archaic, comparative) most wieldy (superlative) wieldiest (archaic, superlative)

Derived Forms

Frequently Paired Words

Synonyms

Antonyms

Questions

How do you pronounce wieldy?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈwildi/.
What does wieldy mean?
Able to wield one's body well; active, dexterous.
Where does wieldy come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce wieldy

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “wieldy”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈwildi/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “wieldy”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “wieldy” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.