Where does “wite” come from?

wite (Middle English) comes 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 (Middle English): guilt, blameworthiness, blame, wrongdoing,...

Definitions

  1. guilt, blameworthiness, blame, wrongdoing,...

Ancestry of “wite”, step by step

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

Words derived from “wite”

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