Etymology Dictionary

WAIN,   a waggon, vehicle for goods.  (E.)   M. E. wain; written wayn, Rob. of Glouc. p. 416, l. 9.—A. S. wægn, a wain; also used in the contracted form wǽn, Grein, ii. 644. + Du. wagen (whence E. wagon was borrowed in the 15th or 16th century); O. Sax. wagan. + Icel. vagn. + Dan. vogn. + Swed. vagn. + G. wagen, O. H. G. wagan.   β. The A. S. wægn soon passed into the form wǽn by the loss of g, just as A. S. regn became rén, mod. E. rain; cf. hail, nail, tail, in which g similarly disappears; so also E. day from A. S. dæg, &c.   Hence it is quite impossible to consider wagon as a true E. word.   γ. All the above forms are from Teut. WAG-NA, a wain, carriage; Fick, iii. 283; from Teut. base WAG, to carry = Aryan ✔WAGH, to carry, whence E. vehicle.   From the same root we have Lat. ueh-iculum, Skt. vah-a, Gk. ὄχ-ος, a car, Russ. voz’, a load.   See Vehicle.   Doublet, wagon or waggon.