Wild
/waɪld/noun
Living or growing in the natural environment; not domesticated or cultivated.
Did you know?The concept of 'wild' once encompassed not just nature, but also the wildness of the human spirit, linked to ancient rituals and untamed deities.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*weid-
“to be strong, to be lively, to be untamed.”
Old English
Old English
wilde
“living in a natural state, not cultivated.”
Middle English
Middle English
wilde
“of the field or forest; savage, fierce.”
14th Century
Middle English
wild
“untamed, savage; often used to describe both nature and behavior.”
Modern English
English
wild
“characterized by a lack of restraint, free-spirited, or uncultivated.”