weoh

Old English

Alternative forms

• wīh, wīoh, wīġ
• ƿēoh — wynn spelling

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *wīhą (“sacred place or thing”), from *wīhaz (“holy”), from Proto-Indo-European *weyk- (“to choose, separate out, set aside as holy, consecrate, sacrifice”). Compounds with wīg- or weoh (short vowel) use the noun from *wīhą (“idol”), while those with wēoh- (long vowel) derive from the adjective *wīhaz (“holy”). More at witch, Weihnachten and victim.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /we͜oːx/

Noun

wēoh n

1. idol, image

Declension

Declension of weoh (strong a-stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	wīġ	wīġ
accusative	wīġ	wīġ
genitive	wīġes	wīġa
dative	wīġe	wīġum

Derived terms

• wīġbed > wēofod (“altar”)
• wēohsteall (“altar-stand”)
• wīġweorþung (“idol-worship”)
• wīġsmiþ (“idol-carver”)