wieldy

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wieldy

/ˈwiːldi/ UK
[ˈwɪəldɪ] UK
/ˈwildi/ US

Where it comes from

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.

adjective more wieldy · wieldier · most wieldy · wieldiest

dialectal Able to wield one's body well; active, dexterous. But the baron, who was neither ſo wieldy nor ſupple in his joints as his companions, flounced himſelf down with ſuch precipitation, that his feet ſuddenly tilting up, came in furious contact with the head of the marquis, […]
Similar: agile, nimble, vigorous
in the negative Capable of being easily wielded or managed; handy. July the 30. we took boat to go down to Abbeville, by the river of Some; a river of no great breadth, but deep and full; the boat which carryed us was much of the making of thoſe Lighters which live on the Thames, but that is was made more wieldie and fit for ſpeed.
Similar: manageable, wieldsome · Opposite: unwieldy

Translations

Every language

adj capable of being easily wielded or managed — see also handy

Italiano	gestibile, maneggevole

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MLA

"wieldy." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/wieldy. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

wieldy. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/wieldy

Chicago

"wieldy." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/wieldy.

BibTeX

@misc{wieldy_2026,
  title = {wieldy},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/wieldy},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}