Ursprungvill + -se. Used as an adverb in 1588, based on the adjective vill (“lost”). A few centuries later the adverb was formed into a new adjective vilsen.
- to a lost state, no longer knowing where one is, having lost orientation
“Vi har gått vilse. Har någon en karta?” — We have gotten [walked] lost. Does anybody have a map?
“Jag tror de är vilse” — I think they are lost
Formermer vilse(comparative) · mest vilse(superlative)