An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Weiler

by Friedrich Kluge

Weiler, masculine, ‘village, hamlet,’ from Middle High German wîler, masculine, ‘small farm, hamlet.’ Old High German wîlâri occurs only as the second component in compound names of places (e.g., Brûwîlâri, equivalent to Brauweiler). Middle Latin vîllâre, ‘farm’ (French villier), was adopted in local names, just like Latin villa (Old High German -wíla, e.g., in Rotwíla, equivalent to Rotweil); compare French ville, ‘town.’ The word seems to have been borrowed contemporaneously with Weiher.