Pronunciation: [wˈɪtə͡ʊlˌi] (IPA) 
The word "wittolly" is a rare and archaic term that refers to a man who allows his wife to have affairs without objection. The IPA phonetic transcription of this word is /ˈwɪtəli/. The spelling reflects the Old English roots of the word, where the prefix "wif" meant "woman" and "toll" meant "to allow". Over time, the spelling and meaning of the word have evolved, and in modern English, it is generally no longer used or recognized.
Wittolly is an archaic term that originated in Middle English and was commonly used in the 16th and 17th centuries. The word carries a specific lexical meaning associated with the concept of being a willing cuckold or a man who approves of and even derives pleasure from his wife's infidelity.
The term derives from the Middle English phrase "willing to ye", which means willing to allow. Wittolly describes the behavior of a husband who willingly permits his wife to engage in extramarital affairs, often with his knowledge and consent. In this context, wittolly implies a certain level of complicity and even enjoyment in the husband's part, suggesting that he derives some form of gratification or pleasure from his wife's unfaithfulness.
The term is primarily used in historic literary works and is now considered obsolete or archaic. It is often associated with themes of marriage, love, and sexual relationships explored in plays, poems, and prose of the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras. Today, the term is seldom used in contemporary contexts and has largely fallen out of common usage.
Given its outdated and somewhat specific meaning, wittolly is not widely known or understood by contemporary readers and is more frequently encountered by those with a particular interest in history or classical literature.
The word "wittolly" is derived from the Old English term "wītold", which can be broken down into "wīt" meaning "know" and "Old" or "ald" meaning "old" or "aged". "Wittolly" evolved from "wītold" and was primarily used in Middle English to describe a cuckold, which refers to a man whose wife is unfaithful to him.
The term gained popularity in the late Middle Ages and Renaissance, particularly in the works of William Shakespeare and his contemporaries. However, its usage has significantly diminished over time, and it is now considered archaic.
