Where does “wahter” come from?
wahter (Middle High German) comes from Old High German wahtāri, from Proto-Germanic wahtwō, from Proto-Germanic wakaną, from Proto-Indo-European weǵ- — lively, awake; strong.
Ancestry of “wahter”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old High German | wahtāri | — |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | wahtwō | watch, vigil |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | wakaną | to wake, be awake, arise |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | weǵ- | lively, awake; strong |