## Meanings
1. To dry up, droop, or shrink, especially from lack of water.
2. To gradually lose strength, freshness, or energy.
3. To cause something to dry up or shrink.

## Examples
- The flowers began to wither in the hot sun without enough water.
- Public support for the project slowly withered over the years.
- The frost withered the young plants overnight.

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: widren
- Root: wederen
- Root: wederian

## Etymology
From Middle English widren, wydderen (“to dry up, shrivel”), related to or perhaps an alteration of Middle English wederen (“to expose to weather”), from Old English wederian (“to expose to weather, exhibit a change of weather”). Cognates From Proto-Germanic: Dutch verwederen, Dutch verweren (“to erode by weather”), German verwittern, wittern (“to be ruined by weather; to erode”), Swedish vittra (“wither”). More at weather.

## AI Etymology
Wither is from Middle English widren, wydderen (“to dry up, shrivel”), related to or perhaps an alteration of Middle English wederen (“to expose to weather”), from Old English wederian (“to expose to weather, exhibit a change of weather”). Proto-Germanic cognates include Dutch verwederen, Dutch verweren (“to erode by weather”), German verwittern, wittern (“to be ruined by weather; to erode”), Swedish vittra (“wither”). More at weather. In present-day use, it can mean to dry up, droop, or shrink, especially from lack of water, or to gradually lose strength, freshness, or energy.

## Topics
- Space, Position & Direction

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