wight

wight · noun¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · inherited from*wekti-“cause, sake, thing”
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*wihtiz“thing, creature”
3. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*wihti
4. Old English · inherited fromwiht“thing, creature”
5. Middle English · inherited fromwight
6. English todaywight

From Middle English wight, wiȝt, from Old English wiht (“thing, creature”), from Proto-West Germanic *wihti, from Proto-Germanic *wihtiz (“thing, creature”, literally “being”), from Proto-Indo-European *wekti- (“cause, sake, thing”), from *wekʷ- (“to say, tell”). Cognate with Scots wicht (“creature, being, human”), Dutch wicht (“child, baby, girl”), German Low German Wicht (“girl; wight”), German Wicht (“wretch, wight, little creature, scoundrel”), Danish vætte (“underground creature, gnome”), Norwegian Bokmål vette (“underground creature, gnome”), Swedish vätte (“underground creature, gnome”), Icelandic vættur (“imp, elf”). Doublet of whit.

wight · adjective²

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*weyk-“to fight”
2. Proto-Germanic · derived from*wīgaz“fighting”
3. Old Norse · derived fromvígt
4. Middle English · inherited fromwight
5. English todaywight

From Middle English wight, from Old Norse vígt, neuter of vígr (“skilled in fighting, of age”), from Proto-Germanic *wīgaz (“fighting”), from Proto-Indo-European *weyk- (“to fight”). Cognate with Old English wīġ.

Wight · proper noun³

1. Latin · derived fromVēctis“Isle of Wight”
2. Old English · inherited fromWiht
3. English todayWight

From Old English Wiht, from Latin Vēctis (“Isle of Wight”).

Wight · proper noun⁴

Scottish and English surname, from the noun wight.

Words from the same roots