*awistrą

From *awiz + *-st(r)ą, a denominal place-forming element (Krahe & Meid 1969: 170; Kroonen 2013: 45). Probably ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂-: Kroonen (2013: 45) analyzes the corresponding *-st(r)a- formation in this way, and Scheungraber (2023) reconstructs pre-Germanic *h₂eui-sth₂(r)o- as a possible univerbation or root compound with *steh₂-. Compare Sanskrit गोष्ठ (goṣṭhá-), a closely parallel formation from *gʷow- + *sth₂-o- (Lloyd et al. 1998: s.v. ewist). The Germanic alternation -st- ~ -str- remains problematic (Lehmann 1986a: 53, s.v. *awistr); the latter may contain an additional *-tro- element (Lloyd et al. 1998: s.v. ewist).