An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/weich

by Friedrich Kluge

weich, adjective, ‘soft, tender, impressible,’ from the equivalent Middle High German weich, Old High German weih (hh); corresponding to Old Saxon wêk, Dutch week, Anglo-Saxon wâc, Old Icelandic veikr, veykr (whence English weak), ‘soft, tender.’ A derivative of the root of weichen (hence weich, literally ‘yielding, giving way’).