An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Weigand

by Friedrich Kluge

Weigand, m., ‘warrior, hero,’ from the equiv. MidHG. and OHG. wîgant, m.; not an inherited term, but borrowed in the last century from MidHG. literature. It is a West Teut. form for ‘warrior’; comp. AS. wîgend, OSax. wîgand; properly a pres. partic. of the nearly obsolete (in West Teut.) root wī̆g, ‘to fight’ (comp. Goth. weihan and *wigan, str. vb., ‘to fight’). This is identical with the Aryan root wī̆k, ‘to be strong, bold,’ which appears in Lat. vincere, ‘to conquer,’ OIr. fichim, ‘to fight,’ as well as in OSlov. vĕkŭ, ‘strength’ (equiv. to OIc. veig, ‘strength’); comp. Lith. wikrus, ‘brisk.’ Allied to weigern and Geweih.