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Added 9 October 2026

well

/ˈwɛl/ noun

In Latin: probē, rectē, bene Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about well at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A deep hole or shaft dug or drilled to obtain water or oil or gas or brine.
A cavity or vessel used to contain liquid.
An abundant source.
she was a well of information

verb

Come up, as of a liquid.
Tears well in her eyes

adjective

In good health especially after having suffered illness or injury.
appears to be entirely well
Resulting favorably.
it's a good thing that I wasn't there
Wise or advantageous and hence advisable.
it would be well to start early

adverb

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (`good' is a nonstandard dialectal variant for `well').
the children behaved well
Thoroughly or completely; fully; often used as a combining form.
The problem is well understood
Indicating high probability; in all likelihood.
I might well do it

Origin

From Middle English wel, wal, wol, wele, from Old English wel (“well, abundantly, very, very easily, very much, fully, quite, nearly”), from Proto-Germanic *wela, *wala (“well”, literally “as wished, as desired”), from Proto-Indo-European *welh₁- (“wish, desire”). Cognates Cognate with Yola vella, waal, wel, well, wull (“well”), Cimbrian boll, bóol (“well”), Dutch wel (“well”), German wohl, wol, woll (“well”), Danish, Icelandic, Norwegian Bokmål, and Norwegian Nynorsk vel (“well”), Faroese væl (“well”), Swedish väl, waͤl (“well”), Gothic 𐍅𐌰𐌹𐌻𐌰 (waila, “well”). Related to will.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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