Where does “water witching” come from?

water witching (English) comes from English water, from Middle English water, from Old English wæter, from Proto-West Germanic watar, from Proto-Germanic watōr, from Proto-Indo-European wódr̥, from Proto-Indo-European wed-, from Proto-Indo-European wey- — to wither; fade; to move, go ahead; to be strong;...

water witching (English): The practice of dowsing

Definitions

  1. The practice of dowsing

Ancestry of “water witching”, step by step

water witching traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English water

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwaterA substance found at room temperature and...
2Middle Englishwaterwater; water vapour, condensation; lake, pond,...
3Old Englishwæterwater
4Proto-West Germanicwatarwater
5Proto-Germanicwatōrwater
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwódr̥water
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwed-water
8Proto-Indo-Europeanwey-to wither; fade; to move, go ahead; to be strong;...

via English witching

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishwitchingpresent participle of witch; bewitching;...
2Middle Englishwicching
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wey-Every word from Proto-Indo-European wed-Every word from Proto-Indo-European wódr̥