Etymology Explorer › English

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

  1. To blame; regard as guilty, fault, accuse; To...

Ancestry of “wite”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishwiteguilt, blameworthiness, blame, wrongdoing,...
2Old Englishwītepenalty; punishment, pain, torment
3Proto-West Germanicwītīpunishment
4Proto-Germanicwitjąknowledge; reason; sense; understanding; wit
5Proto-Germanic*witaną—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwóydeto have seen, to know
7Proto-Indo-Europeanweyd-to see

Words derived from “wite”

  • witeless
  • wyte
  • fightwite
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weyd- →