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wil·der 1 (wĭldər)
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v. wil·dered, wil·der·ing, wil·ders
Archaic
v.tr.
1. To lead astray; mislead.
2. To bewilder; perplex.
v.intr.
1. To lose one's way.
2. To become bewildered.

[Perhaps Middle English *wildren, blend of wilden, to be wild (from wilde, wild; see WILD) and wanderen, to wander; see WANDER.]

wilder·ment n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
wild·er 2 (wīldər)
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adj.
Comparative of wild.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
Wilder, Thornton Niven 1897-1975.
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American writer whose works include novels, such as The Bridge of San Luis Rey (1927), and the theatrically innovative drama Our Town (1938).

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
Wilder, Laura Ingalls 1867-1957.
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American writer of books for children, such as Little House on the Prairie (1935), based on her life on the American frontier.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
Wil·der (wīldər), Billy Originally Samuel Wilder. 1906-2002.
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Austrian-born American filmmaker whose works include Double Indemnity (1944), Some Like It Hot (1959), and The Apartment (1960).

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.