weight

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · inherited from*weǵʰ-“to move; pull; draw; drive”
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*wihtiz
3. Old English · inherited fromwiht
4. Middle English · inherited fromweight
5. English todayweight

From Middle English weight, weiȝte, weght, wight, from Old English wiht, ġewiht (“weight”), from Proto-Germanic *wihtiz ("weight"; compare *weganą (“to move”)), from Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ- (“to move; pull; draw; drive”). Equivalent to weigh + -t (abstract nominal suffix). Cognate with Scots wecht, weicht (“weight”), Saterland Frisian Wächte (“scale”), Gewicht (“weight”), West Frisian gewicht (“weight”), Dutch gewicht (“weight”), German Low German Wicht, Gewicht (“weight”), German Wucht (“massiveness, force”), Gewicht (“weight”).

Words from the same roots