different between wieldy vs wields

English

Etymology

From Middle English w??ld?, weldy (“agile, vigorous; of a shield: easy or satisfying to wield”), from w??lden, welde (“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”), from Old English wylde (“controlling, dominant”), from Proto-Germanic *waldiz (“manageable; powerful”), possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h?welh?- (“to rule; powerful, strong”); analysable as wield +? -y. Later uses of sense 2 (“capable of being easily wielded”) are likely a back-formation from unwieldy.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?wi?ldi/, [?w??ld?]
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?wildi/
• Hyphenation: wiel?dy

Adjective

wieldy (comparative wieldier, superlative wieldiest)

1. (obsolete except Britain, dialectal) Able to wield one's body well; active, dexterous.

   Synonyms: agile, nimble, vigorous
2. Capable of being easily wielded or managed; handy.

   Synonyms: manageable, wieldsome

   Antonym: unwieldy

Derived terms

• wieldiness

Related terms

• unwieldy
• wield
• wielder
• wieldsome

Translations

References

Anagrams

• Wildey, dewily, widely

English

Verb

wields

1. Third-person singular simple present indicative form of wield