Etymology

From Proto-Slavic. Cognates include Bulgarian вейка ‎(vejka) and ветва ‎(vetva), Russian ветвь ‎(vetvʹ), Slovene veja. Non-Slavic cognates include Latin vītis ‎(“vine”), German Weide ‎(“willow”), Old Prussian witwan (willow), Persian بید ‎(bid, “willow”).