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with·y

(wĭthē, wĭthē)

adj.

1. Made of or as flexible as withes; tough.

2. Wiry and agile.

n. pl. with·ies

1. A rope or band made of withes.

a. A long flexible twig, as that of an osier.

b. A tree or shrub having such twigs.

[WITHE + -Y¹. N., from Middle English withye, willow branch, from Old English wīthig, willow; see wei- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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