An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/weihen

by Friedrich Kluge

weihen, vb., ‘to consecrate, dedicate,’ from MidHG. and OHG. wîhen (from *wîhjan), wk. vb., ‘to sanctify’; a derivative of the OTeut. adj. wîho-, ‘sacred, holy’; comp. MidHG. wîch (nom. wîher), OHG. and OSax. wîh, Goth. weihs. The adj. has also been preserved in Weihnachten, from MidHG. wîhen-nahten, which is properly a fusion of MidHG. ze wîhen nahten (comp. Mitternacht). Nacht (which see) has preserved in this compound of the heathen period the meaning ‘day’ (the old Teutons celebrated their winter feast from December 26 to January 6); among the Anglo-Saxons Beda transmitted the term môdra niht, ‘the mothers' nights.’ For the adoption of the old word in the service of Christianity, comp. Ostern (also taufen?). Moreover, E. Yule preserves another OTeut. designation of the same festival; comp. AS. giuli (*gŷle), Goth. jiuleis (OIc. ýler), ‘January,’ OIc. jól, AS. geól, ‘Christmas.’