Where does “edwitstæf” come from?

edwitstæf (Old English) comes from Old English edwīt, 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.

edwitstæf (Old English): reproach, scandal, disgrace, dishonor

Definitions

  1. reproach, scandal, disgrace, dishonor

Ancestry of “edwitstæf”, step by step

edwitstæf traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old English edwīt

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishedwītreproach, blame
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

via Old English stæf

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishstæfstaff; letter, written character
2Proto-West Germanicstabstaff; letter
3Proto-Germanicstabazstaff, stick
4Proto-Indo-Europeanstebʰ-to stand still; to harden
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weyd- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European wóyde →Every word from Proto-Germanic *witaną →