An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/wenig

by Friedrich Kluge

wenig, adj., ‘little, few,’ from MidHG. wênec, weinec (g), OHG. wênag weinag, adj. As a derivative of the Teut. root wai (see weh and weinen), the adj. signified primarily in OHG. and MidHG. ‘deplorable, lamentable, unfortunate’ (so too Goth. wainags); from ‘unfortunate,’ the MidHG. ‘weak, small, trifling, little’ is derived.