Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *awiz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ówis ‎(“sheep”)

Germanic cognates: Old Frisian ei, Old English eowu, Old High German ouwi (German Aue), Old Norse ær, Gothic 𐌰𐍅𐌴𐌸𐌹 ‎(aweþi, “flock of sheep”).

Indo-European cognates: Luvian hawi-, Latin ovis, Ancient Greek ὄϊς ‎(óïs), Old Church Slavonic овьца ‎(ovĭca) (Russian овца ‎(ovca)), Old Irish ói, Lithuanian avìs, Tocharian B ā(u)w.