wither
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wither¹
- /ˈwɪðə/ UK
- [ˈwɪðə] UK
- /ˈwɪðɚ/ US
- [ˈwɪðɚ] ~ [ˈwɪðɹ̩] US
Sounds like whither (wine–whine merger) · Rhymes with -ɪðə(ɹ)
Where it comes from
From Middle English widren, wydderen (“to dry up, shrivel”), related to or perhaps an alteration of Middle English wederen (“to expose to weather”), from Old English wederian (“to expose to weather, exhibit a change of weather”).
Cognates
From Proto-Germanic: Dutch verwederen, Dutch verweren (“to erode by weather”), German verwittern, wittern (“to be ruined by weather; to erode”), Swedish vittra (“wither”).
More at weather.
verb withers · withering · withered
-
To shrivel, droop or dry up, especially from lack of water.
The flowers began to wither in the hot sun without enough water.
Similar: sear
-
To cause to shrivel or dry up.
There was a man which had his hand withered.
Similar: sear
- To lose vigour or power; to languish; to waste away; to pass away. names that must not wither
- To become helpless due to emotion.
- To make helpless due to emotion.
wither²
- /ˈwɪðə/ UK
- [ˈwɪðə] UK
- /ˈwɪðɚ/ US
- [ˈwɪðɚ] ~ [ˈwɪðɹ̩] US
Sounds like whither (wine–whine merger) · Rhymes with -ɪðə(ɹ)
Where it comes from
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
noun withers
- singular of withers (“part of the back of a four-legged animal that is between the shoulder blades”) Timozel had slid his feet quickly from the stirrups and swung his leg over the horse's wither as it slumped to the ground, standing himself in one graceful movement.
wither³
- /ˈwɪðə/ UK
- [ˈwɪðə] UK
- /ˈwɪðɚ/ US
- [ˈwɪðɚ] ~ [ˈwɪðɹ̩] US
Sounds like whither (wine–whine merger) · Rhymes with -ɪðə(ɹ)
Where it comes from
From Middle English wither, from Old English wiþer (“again, against”, adverb in compounds), from Proto-West Germanic *wiþr (“against, toward”).
Cognates
From Proto-Germanic: Low German wedder (“against”), Dutch weer (“again, back”), German wider (“against, contrary to”), German wieder (“again”), Gothic 𐍅𐌹𐌸𐍂𐌰 (wiþra), Old Norse viðr.
More at with.
adverb more wither · most wither
- Against, in opposition to.
wither⁴
- /ˈwɪðə/ UK
- [ˈwɪðə] UK
- /ˈwɪðɚ/ US
- [ˈwɪðɚ] ~ [ˈwɪðɹ̩] US
Sounds like whither (wine–whine merger) · Rhymes with -ɪðə(ɹ)
Where it comes from
From Middle English witheren, from Old English wiþerian (“to resist, oppose, struggle against”).
Cognates
From Proto-Germanic: Middle Dutch wideren, Old High German widarōn.
verb withers · withering · withered
- To go against, resist; oppose.
Wither⁵
proper noun Withers
- A surname.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: shrivel up, shrivel, shrink, fade, wilt, sear, dwindle, die, bigg, wither away, forwither, cling, dry up, wallow, wizen, desiccate
Translations
Every language
verb (intransitive) shrivel, droop, dry up
| Español | marchitarse, ajarse |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 시들다 sideulda |
| 日本語 | 枯れる kareru |
| 中文 | 枯萎 kūwěi, 謝 /谢 xiè |
| Kiswahili | kukauka |
| Português | murchar murchar-se, mirrar, mirrar-se |
| Français | flétrir, se faner, se dessécher |
| Deutsch | vertrocknen, welken, verwelken, verdorren |
| Italiano | appassire, essiccare, inaridire, raggrinzire, avvizzire |
| Ελληνικά | μαραίνομαι maraínomai |
| Română | veșteji, ofili |
| Русский | вя́нуть vjánutʹ, завя́нуть zavjánutʹ, увя́нуть uvjánutʹ, увяда́ть uvjadátʹ, со́хнуть sóxnutʹ, засо́хнуть zasóxnutʹ |
| Tiếng Việt | héo, úa |
| العربية | صَعَقَ ṣaʕaqa |
verb (transitive) to cause to shrivel or dry up
| Español | marchitar, ajar, ahajar |
|---|---|
| Ελληνικά | μαραίνω maraíno |
| Română | veșteji, ofili |
verb to lose vigor or power
| Deutsch | schwächer werden, verkümmern, schwinden |
|---|
verb (intransitive) to become helpless due to emotion
| Español | decaer |
|---|---|
| Italiano | inaridire, avvizzire, inaridirsi |
| Ελληνικά | παθαίνω μαρασμό pathaíno marasmó |
| Română | veșteji, ofili |
Talk about this word "wither." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/wither. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. wither. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/wither "wither." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/wither.Cite this
@misc{wither_2026,
title = {wither},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/wither},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
