wei-

To turn, twist; with derivatives referring to suppleness or binding. Also weiə- (earlier *weiə₁-).

Derivatives include wire, vise, and iris.

I. Form *wei-.

1.

a. wire, from Old English wīr, wire;

b. garland, from Old French garlande, wreath, from Frankish *wiara, *weara, wire. Both a and b from Germanic suffixed form *wī-ra-, *wē-ra-.

2. Probably suffixed Germanic form *wai-ra-. seaware, from Old English wār, seaweed.

3. Suffixed zero-grade form *wi-riā-. ferrule, from Latin viriae, bracelets (of Celtic origin).

4. Suffixed form *wei-ti-. withy, from Old English wīthig, willow, withy, from Germanic *wīth-, willow.

5. Suffixed zero-grade form *wi-t-. withe, from Old English withthe, supple twig, from Germanic *withjōn-.

II. Form *weiə-, zero-grade *wī- (< *wiə-).

1. Suffixed form *wī-ti-. vise; viticulture, from Latin vītis, vine.

2. Suffixed form *wī-tā- becoming *wittā-. vitta, from Latin vitta, headband.

3. Suffixed form *wī-men-. Mimbres, from Latin vīmen, withy, wicker.

4. Probably suffixed form *wī-ri-. iridaceous, irido-, iris, Iris; iridium, iritis, from Greek īris, rainbow, and Īris, rainbow goddess.

5. Perhaps suffixed form *wī-n-. inion; exine, inosine, inositol, inotropic, from Greek īs, sinew.

 

[Pokorny 1. u̯ei- 1120.]

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