Dictionary adverb *u̯el- wollen Wille willkürlich

willkürlich

(adverb)

Meanings

1.
haphazardly, randomly, indiscriminately
(The core idea is that someone makes choices without any logic or reason, just out of pure whim. Think a bouncer in Berlin who randomly sends people away just because.)
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Word Family

Root: *u̯el-

The core idea of this root was:

wanting, choosing

English relatives are will and the Latin branch around volare (to want) with words like voluntary and volition.

In German, both core themes survived, one as wollen (to want) and the other one as wählen (to choose).

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