An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Wade

by Friedrich Kluge

Wade, feminine, ‘calf’ (of the leg), from the equivalent Middle High German wade, masculine (used chiefly in the plural), Old High German wado, masculine; compare the equivalent Dutch wade. Old Icelandic vǫðve, masculine, ‘muscle,’ shows that the more general meaning was ‘muscle’; Old High German ado (accusative wadun) is based on Teutonic waþwo, masculine. There are no cognates in the non-Teutonic languages.