Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/wīhsilō

This Proto-Germanic entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Germanic

Alternative forms

• *wīhsalō

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *weyḱs- (“mistletoe”). Cognate with Russian ви́шня (víšnja, “sour cherry”), Ancient Greek ἰξός (ixós, “mistletoe; birdlime”), Latin viscum (“birdlime”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈwiːx.si.lɔː/

Noun

*wīhsilō f

1. sour cherry

Inflection

ō-stemDeclension of *wīhsilō (ō-stem)
	singular	plural
nominative	*wīhsilō	*wīhsilôz
vocative	*wīhsilō	*wīhsilôz
accusative	*wīhsilǭ	*wīhsilōz
genitive	*wīhsilōz	*wīhsilǫ̂
dative	*wīhsilōi	*wīhsilōmaz
instrumental	*wīhsilō	*wīhsilōmiz

Descendants

• Old Saxon: *wihsila, *wisla; wehsal, wesl
  • Middle Low German: wissel, wessel
• Old Dutch: *wissila, *wessila
  • ⇒ Middle Dutch: wesselkerse
• Old High German: wīhsila
  • Middle High German: wīhsel
    • German: Weichsel
• → Old French: guy (through merger with Latin viscum)
  • Middle French: guy
    • French: gui