Origin and history of wether

also bell-wether, "lead sheep (on whose neck a bell was hung) of a domesticated flock," mid-14c. (late 13c. in Anglo-Latin; late 12c. as a surname), from bell (n.) + wether. The figurative sense of "chief, leader" is attested from mid-14c.

early 14c., vel, "calf meat as food," from Anglo-French vel, veal, Old French veel "a calf" (12c., Modern French veau), earlier vedel, from Latin vitellus "little calf," diminutive of vitulus "calf," which is perhaps originally "yearling," if it is related, as some think, to Sanskrit vatsah "calf," literally "yearling;" Gothic wiþrus, Old English weðer (see wether; also compare veteran).

c. 1500, "old experienced soldier," from French vétéran, from Latin veteranus "old, aged, experienced, that has been long in use," especially of soldiers; as a plural noun, "old soldiers;" in rural use also of cattle, slaves, vines, etc. It is from vetus (genitive veteris) "old, aged, advanced in years; of a former time," as a plural noun, vetores, "men of old, forefathers."

This is reconstructed to be from PIE *wet-es-, from root *wet- (2) "year" (source also of Sanskrit vatsa- "year," Greek etos "year," Hittite witish "year," Old Church Slavonic vetuchu "old," Old Lithuanian vetušas "old, aged;" and compare wether, also inveterate, veterinary).

The general sense of "one who has seen long service in any office or position" (and thus is entitled to trust or consideration) is attested from 1590s. The adjective is recorded by 1610s; in reference to soldiers, "having seen much warfare, much experienced in military matters," by 1728.

Latin vetus also is the ultimate source of Italian vecchio, French vieux, Spanish viejo.