O.E. wępen "instrument of fighting and defense," from P.Gmc. *wępnan (cf. O.S. wapan, O.N. vapn, Dan. vaaben, O.Fris. wepin, M.Du. wapen, O.H.G. waffen, Ger. wafen (neut.), waffe (fem.)), from *webno-m, of unknown origin with no cognates outside Gmc.