*wiþrą

Reconstruction

The word is *wiþrą in Wiktionary,^[1] *wiþra in Kroonen^[2] and Köbler, who also gives *wiþr and *wiþrō;^[3] Orel writes *wiþra(n).^[4]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Indo-European *wíterom, the adverbial accusative of *wíteros, from *wí "apart" and the comparative suffix *-teros.^[1] Kroonen reconstructs *h₁ui-tro-, a formation with the PIE root *h₁ui- "apart" and the contrastive suffix *-tero-.^[2]

Morphology

A preposition,^[2][4] also an adverb.^[3] Feist called it originally a comparative formation with the IE suffix *-tero-.^[5] Wiktionary compares the suffix of *aftrą, against that of the adjective *anþeraz.^[1]

Evidence

The word is attested in all three branches: Gothic 𐍅𐌹𐌸𐍂𐌰 (wiþra) in Gothic, Old Norse viðr in Old Norse, and Old English wiðer, Old Frisian wither, Old Saxon withar and Old High German widar in West Germanic.^[2] Köbler counts 46 instances of the Gothic preposition, in the Bible and the Skeireins.^[6] Its closest cognate is Sanskrit वितरम् (vitarám, “further”),^[2][1] and Orel adds Avestan vītara- (“further one, later one”).^[4]

Meanings

1. against, toward^[2][3][1]
2. again^[3]

Gothic also used it for "opposite, facing",^[6] Old Norse for "along with; with, by", and Old Saxon for "in return".^[2]

Derivatives

• *wiþra-werþaz "opposite, hostile", a compound with *werþaz in Orel: Gothic 𐍅𐌹𐌸𐍂𐌰𐍅𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌸𐍃 (wiþra-wairþs, “opposite”), Old English wiðerweard (“contrary, hostile”), Old High German widarwert (“adverse, hostile”).^[4]

Reflexes

• Gothic: 𐍅𐌹𐌸𐍂𐌰 (wiþra, “against, opposite”)^[5]
• Old Norse: viðr (“by, against”), also við^[7]
• Old English: wiþer (“against”)^[8]
• Old Frisian: wither (“against; opposite”)^[9]
• Old Saxon: withar (“against, in return”)^[10]
• Old High German: widar (“against, opposite, back”)^[11]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *wiþrą
2. ^ a b c d e f g Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 590
3. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *wiþra
4. ^ a b c d Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 464
5. ^ a b Feist, Sigmund (1939), Vergleichendes Wörterbuch der gotischen Sprache, 3rd ed., Leiden: Brill, p. s.v. wiþra
6. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Gotisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. wiþra
7. ^ Köbler, Gerhard, Altnordisches Wörterbuch, online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary database copy), p. s.v. viðr
8. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altenglisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. wiþer
9. ^ Hofmann, Dietrich; Popkema, Anne Tjerk (2008), Altfriesisches Handwörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. wither
10. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altsächsisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. withar
11. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Althochdeutsches Wörterbuch, 6th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. widar