iwis

• ywis (13th-17th centuries)
• iwys (14th-16th centuries)

From Middle English iwis, ywis (“certain, sure”), from Old English ġewiss (“certain, sure”), from Proto-Germanic *gawissaz (“known, certain, sure”), from Proto-Indo-European *weyd- (“to know”). Cognate with Dutch gewis (“sure”), German gewiss (“certain”), Danish vis (“sure”). More at wit, wis.

• IPA^(key): /ɪˈwɪs/

iwis (not comparable)

1. (poetic, archaic) Certainly, surely, indeed.
   • 1485 July 31, Thomas Malory, “(please specify the chapter)”, in [Le Morte Darthur], (please specify the book number), [London]: […] [by William Caxton], OCLC 71490786; republished as H[einrich] Oskar Sommer, editor, Le Morte Darthur […], London: Published by David Nutt, […], 1889, OCLC 890162034:

     , Bk.V:

     Thou art welcome iwys, for thou sekyst aftir sorow!

   • 1842, Thomas Macaulay, Horatius:

     Iwis, in all the Senate / There was no heart so bold […].

   • 1890, James Russell Lowell, Poetical Works:

     God vanished long ago, iwis, A mere subjective synthesis

• Wiis