Weight
/weɪt/noun
A measure of the heaviness of an object.
Did you know?In medieval alchemy, weight was not just physical but also a mystical measure of one’s worth in the universe, tying into the belief that heavier souls bore greater burdens.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wei-
“To be strong, to be lively.”
Old English
Old English
wiht
“Creature, being, or substance, often used to denote weight.”
Middle English
Middle English
weiht
“Weight, heaviness, or burden.”
14th Century
Middle English
weght
“A measure of heaviness, often linked to justice and balance.”
Modern English
English
weight
“The measure of how heavy something is, representing both physical and metaphorical burdens.”