Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *hwaitijaz, from *hwītaz ‎(“white”). Compare Old Saxon hueti (Low German Weten), Old High German hwaizi, weizi (German Weizen), Old Norse hveiti (Danish hvede, Norwegian hvete, Icelandic hveiti), Gothic 𐍈𐌰𐌹𐍄𐌴𐌹𐍃 ‎(ƕaiteis).