An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/gewärtig

by Friedrich Kluge

gewärtig, adjective, ‘expectant, attentive,’ from Middle High German gewęrtec, ‘careful, obliging’; allied to Middle High German gewarten, ‘to hold oneself ready, watch with observant eyes in order to be ready, for a service, or to admit visitors,’ &c. See warten.