English
wee
Wee comes from Old English wǣġ ‘a weight’, from Proto-West Germanic *wāgu ‘scales’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ- ‘to convey, transport’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*weǵʰ-‘to convey, transport’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*wéǵʰeti‘to be transporting’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*weganą‘to move, to carry’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*wēgō‘scales, weight’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*wāgu‘scales’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150wǣġ‘a weight’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500wey
- Englishearliest quotation 1907wee
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*weǵʰ-‘to convey, transport’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*wéǵʰeti‘to be transporting’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*weganą‘to move, to carry’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*wēgō‘scales, weight’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*wāgu‘scales’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150wǣġ‘a weight’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500wey
- Englishearliest quotation 1907wee
Earliest quotation: 1907, Barbara Baynton, Human Toll (Portable Australian Authors: Barbara Baynton): “The beat of its wee heart held against her…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ- ‘to convey, transport’
way, always, via, vehicle, reveal, wagon, vein, vogue, veil, wedge, wag, venous, vex, vena, invective, wain, velar, 40 more
through Proto-Indo-European *wéǵʰeti ‘to be transporting’
through Proto-Germanic *weganą ‘to move, to carry’
halfway, weigh, headway, wonky, 1 more
through Old English wǣġ ‘a weight’
Today it means
adj Small, little.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ- / wee