Where does “neowiht” come from?

neowiht (Old Saxon) comes from Old Saxon neo, from Proto-Germanic nē, from Proto-Germanic aiwaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eyu-, from Proto-Indo-European h₂ey- — vital force, life, age, eternity; day, morning.

neowiht (Old Saxon): nothing; zero

Definitions

  1. nothing; zero

Ancestry of “neowiht”, step by step

neowiht traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old Saxon neo

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Saxonneonever
2Proto-Germanicnēnot
3Proto-Germanicaiwazlong time, age, eternity
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eyu-vitality; eternal; vital force, life, long life,...
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ey-vital force, life, age, eternity; day, morning

via Old Saxon wiht

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Saxonwihtcreature, person, thing, being
2Proto-West Germanicwihtithing, creature; weight
3Proto-Germanicwihtizessence, being; thing, creature; weight
4Proto-Indo-Europeanweǵʰ-to bring; to transport
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂ey- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂eyu- →Every word from Proto-Germanic aiwaz →