Wilful
/ˈwɪl.fəl/noun
Done deliberately or stubbornly, often in disregard of what is right or reasonable.
Did you know?The word goes back to Old English *willan* (“to want, wish, be willing”), and its modern sense of stubborn intent grew out of the idea of acting by one’s own will rather than by outside authority.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wel-
“to wish, will, want”
Old English
OE
willan
“to wish, want, be willing”
Old English
OE
willfull
“self-willed, obstinate”
Middle English
ME
wilful
“done from one’s own will; stubborn, headstrong”
Modern English
English
wilful
“deliberate, intentional, or stubbornly insistent”