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Where does the word "ill" come from? It comes from Old Norse illr, and was adopted directly into English (1200s).
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Where does the word "ill" come from? It comes from Old Norse illr, and was adopted directly into English (1200s).
Ill’s story begins in Old Norse: illr meant “bad, evil.” Bad, evil, describing a poor state of being. It reached English by 1200s as ill. Narrowed to mean specifically unwell or unhealthy. Today, ill means unwell, sick, or of poor quality.
- Stage 1 · Old Norse · medieval illr "bad, evil", bad, evil, describing a poor state of being.
- Stage 2 · English · 1200s ill "unwell, sick", narrowed to mean specifically unwell or unhealthy.