Where does “weiche” come from?
weiche (Middle High German) comes from Old High German weihhī, from Old High German weih, from Proto-West Germanic waikw, from Proto-Germanic waikwaz, from Proto-Indo-European weyḱ-, from Proto-Indo-European wey- — to wither; fade; to move, go ahead; to be strong;...
Ancestry of “weiche”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old High German | weihhī | — |
| 2 | Old High German | weih | soft |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | waikw | weak, soft, pliable |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | waikwaz | weak, soft, pliable |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | weyḱ- | to enter in; to settle; settlement |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | wey- | to wither; fade; to move, go ahead; to be strong;... |