Where does “wight” come from?

wight (Middle English) comes from Old English wiht, from Latin Vectis, from Proto-Celtic wextā, from Proto-Indo-European weǵʰ- — to bring; to transport.

wight (Middle English): A creature, a being; A person, a human being; A...

Definitions

  1. A creature, a being; A person, a human being; A...

Ancestry of “wight”, step by step

wight traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old English wiht

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishwihtcreature, person, thing, being; weight
2LatinVectisIsle of Wight
3Proto-Celticwextātime, course, turn
4Proto-Indo-Europeanweǵʰ-to bring; to transport

via Old Norse vígt

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norsevígt—
2Proto-Germanicwīgazfighting, warlike; able to be defeated
3Proto-Indo-Europeanweyḱ-to enter in; to settle; settlement
4Proto-Indo-Europeanwey-to wither; fade; to move, go ahead; to be strong;...

Words derived from “wight”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European weǵʰ- →