An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Daune

by Friedrich Kluge

Daune, Dune, feminine, ‘down,’ Modern High German only, from the equivalent Low German dûne, feminine; compare Old Icelandic dúnn, masculine, English down. Hence the initial dental proves that the Modern High German word is of Low German origin, for since the Scandinavian and English words begin with d, a genuine High German word would necessarily have an initial t. The origin of Scandinavian dúnn is obscure. See Eider, Flaum.