Added to nouns and adjectives to form adjectives meaning “having the quality of”, either “involving the referent” or “analogous to it”. · Added to verbs to form adjectives meaning "inclined to".
From Middle English wely, from Old English weliġ, weoliġ, weleġ, from Proto-West Germanic *welag (“wealthy”), equivalent to weal + -y. Cognate with Dutch welig (“luxurious, lavish”), Low German welig (“happy, fortunate”).