An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Wicht

by Friedrich Kluge

Wicht, m., ‘wight, creature, ragamuffin,’ from MidHG. wiht, m. and n., ‘creature, being, thing’ (used espec. of hobgoblins, dwarfs, &c.), OHG. wiht, m. and n., ‘thing, being, person’; comp. also the meanings of Bösewicht. Corresponding to OSax. wiht, ‘thing’ (plur. ‘demons’), Du. wicht, ‘little child, AS. wiht, ‘being, thing, demon,’ E. wight. Goth distinguishes between waihts, f., ‘thing,’ and ni-waiht, n., ‘nothing’ on which Ger. nicht and nichts are based). The meaning ‘personal or living being’ is probably derived from the primary sense ‘thing,’ for the early history of which the cognate languages give no clue except through OSlov. veštĭ, ‘thing,’ which, like Teut. wihti-, is based upon Aryan wekti-. The cognates can scarcely be explained by wiegen and wägen. MidHG. wihtelîn, wihtelmęnnelîn are still used dial. for ‘hobgoblins, dwarfs.’