An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/weihen

by Friedrich Kluge

weihen, verb, ‘to consecrate, dedicate,’ from Middle High German and Old High German wîhen (from *wîhjan), weak verb, ‘to sanctify’; a derivative of the Old Teutonic adjective wîho-, ‘sacred, holy’; compare Middle High German wîch (nominative wîher), Old High German and Old Saxon wîh, Gothic weihs. The adjective has also been preserved in Weihnachten, from Middle High German wîhen-nahten, which is properly a fusion of Middle High German ze wîhen nahten (compare 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, compare Ostern (also taufen?). Moreover, English Yule preserves another Old Teutonic designation of the same festival; compare Anglo-Saxon giuli (*gŷle), Gothic jiuleis (Old Icelandic ýler), ‘January,’ Old Icelandic jól, Anglo-Saxon geól, ‘Christmas.’