Weiher

Borrowed from German Weiher.

Weiher (plural Weihers)

1. A surname from German.

• According to the 2010 United States Census, Weiher is the 41164^th most common surname in the United States, belonging to 529 individuals. Weiher is most common among White (96.03%) individuals.

• Hanks, Patrick, editor (2003), “Weiher”, in Dictionary of American Family Names, volume 3, New York: Oxford University Press, →ISBN.

From Middle High German wīher, from Old High German wīwāri, from Proto-West Germanic *wīwārī (“pond”). The diphthongisation in Ripuarian is regular because (after the loss intervocalic -w-) the -ī- was in hiatus, where Ripuarian does diphthongise. The diphthong would regularly be /ei̯/ rather than /ɛi̯/, but this distinction has only survived stem-finally.

• IPA^(key): /ˈʋɛi̯ʌ/, (Moselle Franconian also) /ˈʋʌi̯ʌ/

Weiher m (plural Weihere, diminutive Weiherche)

1. (most dialects) pond

From Middle High German wī(h)er, from earlier wīwære, from Old High German wīwāri, from Proto-West Germanic *wīwārī (“pond”), from Latin vīvārium. Doublet of Vivarium.

• IPA^(key): /ˈvaɪ̯ər/, [ˈvaɪ̯.ɐ], [ˈʋaɪ̯.ɐ]

• Audio:

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Weiher m (strong, genitive Weihers, plural Weiher)

1. pond

   Synonyms: Teich, (shallow) Tümpel

• The distinction between this word and Teich was originally purely regional: Weiher was western and southern, Teich northern and eastern. Today both words are used alongside for natural ponds, while Teich is strongly preferred for man-made ones (but compare e.g. the Aachener Weiher in Cologne).

• “Weiher” in Duden online