An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Drossel

by Friedrich Kluge

Drossel (1.), feminine, ‘thrush,’ a Low German form from Middle Low German drosle, Old Saxon throssela, throsla; the strictly Upper German term for Drossel is Bavarian Drôschel, from Middle High German drôschel, feminine; compare Old High German drôscela, feminine, also without the derivative l, drôsca, drôscea, feminine; the latter form corresponds to Anglo-Saxon þrŷsce (from *þrauskiô), English thrush. English throstle, from Anglo-Saxon þrostle, ‘merula,’ corresponds to Middle High German drostel; in Gothic the latter would be *þrustla and the former þrauska (or rather *þrauskjô); akin to Greek τρυγών, ‘turtle-dove,’ from *τρυσγών?.