An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Aft

by Friedrich Kluge

Aft, m., ‘bough, branch,’ from the equiv. MidHG. and OHG. ast, m., ‘branch,’ corresponding to the equiv. Goth. asts. The term is unknown to the other dialects, yet its great antiquity is incontestable because of the agreement of Teut. astaz (a permutation of the pre-Teut. ozdos; comp. Mast, and the examples cited there of the permutation of the Aryan zd, sd, to Teut. st) with Gr. ὄζος (ὄσθοε), ‘branch, twig, knot, node (of a tree)’; the latter with Armen. ost, ‘branch,’ is likewise based upon osdos. The meanings of the Gr. word admit the supposition of its being allied to MidLG. ôst (LG. aust), Du. oest, AS. ôst, ‘knot, node’ (Aryan stem ôsdo-).