Where does “wis” come from?

wis (Dutch) comes from Proto-Germanic wissaz, from Proto-Germanic witaną, from Proto-Indo-European wóyde, from Proto-Indo-European weyd- — to see.

wis (Dutch): sure, certain; twig; bundle, bunch

Definitions

  1. sure, certain; twig; bundle, bunch

Ancestry of “wis”, step by step

wis traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Proto-Germanic wissaz

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Germanicwissazpast participle of *witaną; known
2Proto-Germanicwitanąto know
3Proto-Indo-Europeanwóydeto have seen, to know
4Proto-Indo-Europeanweyd-to see

via Middle Dutch wisch

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Dutchwisch—
2Old Dutchwisk—
3Proto-Germanicwiskazbundle of hay/straw, wisp
4Proto-Indo-Europeanweys-to raise, increase; to produce, procreate

Words derived from “wis”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European weyd- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European wóyde →Every word from Proto-Germanic witaną →