An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Wipfel

by Friedrich Kluge

Wipfel, m., ‘top (of a tree), summit,’ from MidHG. wipfel (wiffel), OHG. wipfil (wiffil), m., ‘top of a tree’; lit. perhaps ‘that which rocks, swing,’ for the word is based on the Teut. root wip, ‘to tremble, move, rock’ (see Wippe).