Meaning
A flexible, slender shoot or twig, especially when used as a band or for binding; a withy.
Etymology
Origin: Old English
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.
Synonyms & Antonyms
NYT Puzzle Appearances
No published puzzle dates on file for this word yet. It is part of the official NYT Spelling Bee word list for 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2026.