Old English wiðig "willow, willow twig," from Proto-Germanic *withjon- "willow" (cf. Old Norse viðir, Danish vidje, Old High German wida, German Weide "willow"), from PIE *wei-ti-, suffixed form of root *wei- "to bend, twist" (cf. Avestan vaeiti- "osier," Greek itea "willow," Latin vitis "vine," Lithuanian vytis "willow twig," Polish witwa, Welsh gwden "willow," Russian vitvina "branch, bough").