*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of withe

From Middle English withe, from Old English wiþþe (“band, tie”), from Proto-Germanic *wiþiz, *wiþjǭ (“cord, rope”), from Proto-Indo-European *wéh₁itis (“that which twines”), from *weyt- (“that which winds or bends, branc

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In this entry · 1 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Unnumbered source etymology

Original entry ↗
verb

To bind with withes. · To beat with withes.

noun

A flexible, slender shoot or twig, especially when used as a band or for binding; a withy. · A band of twisted twigs. · An elastic handle to a tool to save the hand from the shock of blows. · An iron attachment on one end of a mast or boom, with a ring, through which another mast or boom is rigged out and secured.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Middle English withe, from Old English wiþþe (“band, tie”), from Proto-Germanic *wiþiz, *wiþjǭ (“cord, rope”), from Proto-Indo-European *wéh₁itis (“that which twines”), from *weyt- (“that which winds or bends, branch, switch”), from Proto-Indo-European *wey- (“to turn, wind, bend”). Cognates Cognate with Danish vidje (“wicker”), Icelandic viðja (“willow”), Swedish vidja (“withe”), French guiche (“strap; kiss-curl”), Italian guiggia (“armstrap; sandal strap”), Finnish vitja (“chain; ponyfoot”), vitsa (“birch; twig, wicker”), Ingrian vitsa (“branch, twig”), Livonian vitsā (“twig; strap”), Veps vic (“twig”), Votic vittsõ (“cane; twig; wire”); also Irish féith (“calm, still; smooth; bashful, shy”), Manx feagh (“calm, docile, still”), Scottish Gaelic fèath (“calm”), Welsh gwden (“withe; snare; noose”), Latin vītis (“vine”), Greek ιτιά (itiá, “willow”), Old Prussian witwan (“willow”), Belarusian ве́йка (vjéjka, “eyelash”), Czech větev (“branch”), Old Polish wiećw (“vine branch”), Russian ветвь (vetvʹ, “branch, bough, limb”), Slovak vetva (“branch”), Slovene veja (“branch”), Ukrainian віта (vita, “branch, twig”), Armenian գի (gi, “juniper tree; cypress”), գիհի (gihi, “juniper tree”), Central Kurdish بی (bî, “willow”), Northern Kurdish bî (“willow; poplar”), Pashto وله (wala, “willow”), Persian بید (bēd / bid, “willow”), Sanskrit वेत्र (vetra, “large tree; cane”). Doublet of vice (“a type of tool, etc.”). The brickwork and chimney architecture senses may have a different etymology, see wythe.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

  • Inherited-form mentionwitheenm
  • Inherited-form mentionwiþþeang · band, tie
  • Inherited-form mention*wiþizgem-pro
  • Inherited-form mention*wéh₁itisine-pro · that which twines
  • Derivation mention*wey-ine-pro · to turn, wind, bend
  • Cognate mentionvidjeda · wicker
  • Cognate mentionviðjais · willow
  • Cognate mentionvidjasv · withe
  • Cognate mentionguichefr · strap; kiss-curl
  • Cognate mentionguiggiait · armstrap; sandal strap
  • Cognate mentionvitjafi · chain; ponyfoot
  • Cognate mentionvitsaizh · branch, twig
  • Cognate mentionvitsāliv · twig; strap
  • Cognate mentionvicvep · twig
  • Cognate mentionvittsõvot · cane; twig; wire
  • Cognate mentionféithga · calm, still; smooth; bashful, shy
  • Cognate mentionfeaghgv · calm, docile, still
  • Cognate mentionfèathgd · calm
  • Cognate mentiongwdency · withe; snare; noose
  • Cognate mentionvītisla · vine
  • Cognate mentionιτιάel · willow
  • Cognate mentionwitwanprg · willow
  • Cognate mentionве́йкаbe · eyelash
  • Cognate mentionvětevcs · branch
  • Cognate mentionwiećwzlw-opl · vine branch
  • Cognate mentionветвьru · branch, bough, limb
  • Cognate mentionvetvask · branch
  • Cognate mentionvejasl · branch
  • Cognate mentionвітаuk · branch, twig
  • Cognate mentionգիhy · juniper tree; cypress
  • Cognate mentionبیckb · willow
  • Cognate mentionbîkmr · willow; poplar
  • Cognate mentionولهps · willow
  • Cognate mentionبیدfa · willow
  • Cognate mentionवेत्रsa · large tree; cane
  • Doublet mentionvice#Etymology 2en · a type of tool, etc.

This page abbreviates 2 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "withe"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English withe"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "wiþþe",
        "t": "band, tie"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English wiþþe (“band, tie”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*wiþiz"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *wiþiz"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*wéh₁itis",
        "t": "that which twines"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *wéh₁itis (“that which twines”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*wey-",
        "t": "to turn, wind, bend"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *wey- (“to turn, wind, bend”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "col-top",
      "args": {
        "1": "2",
        "2": "cog"
      },
      "expansion": "Cognates"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "da",
        "2": "vidje",
        "t": "wicker"
      },
      "expansion": "Danish vidje (“wicker”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "is",
        "2": "viðja",
        "t": "willow"
      },
      "expansion": "Icelandic viðja (“willow”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "sv",
        "2": "vidja",
        "t": "withe"
      },
      "expansion": "Swedish vidja (“withe”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "fr",
        "2": "guiche",
        "t": "strap; kiss-curl"
      },
      "expansion": "French guiche (“strap; kiss-curl”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "it",
        "2": "guiggia",
        "t": "armstrap; sandal strap"
      },
      "expansion": "Italian guiggia (“armstrap; sandal strap”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "fi",
        "2": "vitja",
        "t": "chain; ponyfoot"
      },
      "expansion": "Finnish vitja (“chain; ponyfoot”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "izh",
        "2": "vitsa",
        "t": "branch, twig"
      },
      "expansion": "Ingrian vitsa (“branch, twig”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "liv",
        "2": "vitsā",
        "t": "twig; strap"
      },
      "expansion": "Livonian vitsā (“twig; strap”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "vep",
        "2": "vic",
        "t": "twig"
      },
      "expansion": "Veps vic (“twig”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "vot",
        "2": "vittsõ",
        "t": "cane; twig; wire"
      },
      "expansion": "Votic vittsõ (“cane; twig; wire”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "ga",
        "2": "féith",
        "t": "calm, still; smooth; bashful, shy"
      },
      "expansion": "Irish féith (“calm, still; smooth; bashful, shy”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "gv",
        "2": "feagh",
        "t": "calm, docile, still"
      },
      "expansion": "Manx feagh (“calm, docile, still”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "gd",
        "2": "fèath",
        "t": "calm"
      },
      "expansion": "Scottish Gaelic fèath (“calm”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "cy",
        "2": "gwden",
        "t": "withe; snare; noose"
      },
      "expansion": "Welsh gwden (“withe; snare; noose”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "la",
        "2": "vītis",
        "t": "vine"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin vītis (“vine”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "el",
        "2": "ιτιά",
        "t": "willow"
      },
      "expansion": "Greek ιτιά (itiá, “willow”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "prg",
        "2": "witwan",
        "t": "willow"
      },
      "expansion": "Old Prussian witwan (“willow”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "be",
        "2": "ве́йка",
        "t": "eyelash"
      },
      "expansion": "Belarusian ве́йка (vjéjka, “eyelash”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "cs",
        "2": "větev",
        "t": "branch"
      },
      "expansion": "Czech větev (“branch”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "zlw-opl",
        "2": "wiećw",
        "t": "vine branch"
      },
      "expansion": "Old Polish wiećw (“vine branch”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "ru",
        "2": "ветвь",
        "t": "branch, bough, limb"
      },
      "expansion": "Russian ветвь (vetvʹ, “branch, bough, limb”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "sk",
        "2": "vetva",
        "t": "branch"
      },
      "expansion": "Slovak vetva (“branch”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "sl",
        "2": "veja",
        "t": "branch"
      },
      "expansion": "Slovene veja (“branch”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "uk",
        "2": "віта",
        "t": "branch, twig"
      },
      "expansion": "Ukrainian віта (vita, “branch, twig”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "hy",
        "2": "գի",
        "t": "juniper tree; cypress"
      },
      "expansion": "Armenian գի (gi, “juniper tree; cypress”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "ckb",
        "2": "بی",
        "t": "willow"
      },
      "expansion": "Central Kurdish بی (bî, “willow”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "kmr",
        "2": "bî",
        "t": "willow; poplar"
      },
      "expansion": "Northern Kurdish bî (“willow; poplar”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "ps",
        "2": "وله",
        "tr": "wala",
        "t": "willow"
      },
      "expansion": "Pashto وله (wala, “willow”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "fa",
        "2": "بید",
        "tr": "bēd / bid",
        "t": "willow"
      },
      "expansion": "Persian بید (bēd / bid, “willow”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "sa",
        "2": "वेत्र",
        "t": "large tree; cane"
      },
      "expansion": "Sanskrit वेत्र (vetra, “large tree; cane”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "doublet",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "vice#Etymology 2",
        "t1": "a type of tool, etc."
      },
      "expansion": "Doublet of vice (“a type of tool, etc.”)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "withe",
      "withe#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "wiþþe",
      "wiþþe#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "*wiþiz",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/wiþiz"
    ],
    [
      "*wiþjǭ",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/wiþjǭ"
    ],
    [
      "*wéh₁itis",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/wéh₁itis"
    ],
    [
      "*weyt-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/weyt-"
    ],
    [
      "*wey-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/wey-"
    ],
    [
      "vidje",
      "vidje#Danish"
    ],
    [
      "viðja",
      "viðja#Icelandic"
    ],
    [
      "vidja",
      "vidja#Swedish"
    ],
    [
      "guiche",
      "guiche#French"
    ],
    [
      "guiggia",
      "guiggia#Italian"
    ],
    [
      "vitja",
      "vitja#Finnish"
    ],
    [
      "vitsa",
      "vitsa#Finnish"
    ],
    [
      "vitsa",
      "vitsa#Ingrian"
    ],
    [
      "vitsā",
      "vitsā#Livonian"
    ],
    [
      "vic",
      "vic#Veps"
    ],
    [
      "vittsõ",
      "vittsõ#Votic"
    ],
    [
      "féith",
      "féith#Irish"
    ],
    [
      "feagh",
      "feagh#Manx"
    ],
    [
      "fèath",
      "fèath#Scottish_Gaelic"
    ],
    [
      "gwden",
      "gwden#Welsh"
    ],
    [
      "vītis",
      "vitis#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "ιτιά",
      "ιτιά#Greek"
    ],
    [
      "witwan",
      "witwan#Old_Prussian"
    ],
    [
      "ве́йка",
      "вейка#Belarusian"
    ],
    [
      "větev",
      "větev#Czech"
    ],
    [
      "wiećw",
      "wiećw#Old_Polish"
    ],
    [
      "ветвь",
      "ветвь#Russian"
    ],
    [
      "vetva",
      "vetva#Slovak"
    ],
    [
      "veja",
      "veja#Slovene"
    ],
    [
      "віта",
      "віта#Ukrainian"
    ],
    [
      "գի",
      "գի#Armenian"
    ],
    [
      "գիհի",
      "գիհի#Armenian"
    ],
    [
      "بی",
      "بی#Central_Kurdish"
    ],
    [
      "bî",
      "bî#Northern_Kurdish"
    ],
    [
      "وله",
      "وله#Pashto"
    ],
    [
      "بید",
      "بید#Persian"
    ],
    [
      "वेत्र",
      "वेत्र#Sanskrit"
    ],
    [
      "vice",
      "vice#Etymology 2"
    ],
    [
      "wythe",
      "wythe#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "verb",
      "glosses": [
        "To bind with withes.",
        "To beat with withes."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "transitive"
      ],
      "recordId": "171a4242ce55dbe6dd15372e2b304b70e37fb60217eabe809e16cf488607691d",
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      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 234583
    },
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A flexible, slender shoot or twig, especially when used as a band or for binding; a withy.",
        "A band of twisted twigs.",
        "An elastic handle to a tool to save the hand from the shock of blows.",
        "An iron attachment on one end of a mast or boom, with a ring, through which another mast or boom is rigged out and secured."
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "72d8951b765fb0492d379c170ceab5536e771f3e6c00723bdbbb2b387d43f3c5",
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  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 2,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for withe →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger
Machine-source provenance
Source SHA-256
5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run
73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID
w-d2l0aGU