Where does “wite” come from?
wite (English) comes from Middle English wite, from Old English wīte, from Proto-West Germanic wītī, from Proto-Germanic witją, from Proto-Germanic *witaną, from Proto-Indo-European wóyde, from Proto-Indo-European weyd- — to see.
wite (English): To blame; regard as guilty, fault, accuse; To...
Definitions
- To blame; regard as guilty, fault, accuse; To...
Ancestry of “wite”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | wite | guilt, blameworthiness, blame, wrongdoing,... |
| 2 | Old English | wīte | penalty; punishment, pain, torment |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | wītī | punishment |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | witją | knowledge; reason; sense; understanding; wit |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | *witaną | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | wóyde | to have seen, to know |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | weyd- | to see |