An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Wedel

by Friedrich Kluge

Wedel, masculine, ‘fan, sprinkling brush, tail, tuft, brush (of foxes),’ from the equivalent Middle High German wędel (wadel), Old High German wędil (wadal), masculine and neuter; also dialectic Wadel. The specifically High German word is a derivative of the root wê (see wehen), with the suffix -þlo; Wedel, literally ‘implement for blowing.’