Etymology Map
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Wand

3 stages from Old Norse to English.

Today it means a thin rod, especially one used to perform magic

Where does the word "wand" come from? It comes from Old Norse vǫndr, passing through Middle English before entering English (1500s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
vǫndr
Old Norse · medieval
"switch, twig"
a slender, flexible stick or switch, possibly related to 'wind' in the sense of bending
2
Stage 2 of 3
wand
Middle English · 1200s
"slender stick; staff of office"
used for a young shoot and for a rod of authority carried by officials
3
Stage 3 of 3
wand
English · 1500s
"a magic rod"
the magical sense, a rod used by conjurers and fairies, became prominent in Renaissance literature
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Read the full story

Wand’s story begins in Old Norse: vǫndr meant “switch, twig.” A slender, flexible stick or switch, possibly related to 'wind' in the sense of bending. By 1200s, the word had taken hold in Middle English as wand. Used for a young shoot and for a rod of authority carried by officials. It reached English by 1500s as wand. The magical sense, a rod used by conjurers and fairies, became prominent in Renaissance literature. Today, wand means a thin rod, especially one used to perform magic.