An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Dust

by Friedrich Kluge

Dust, masculine, ‘dust, powder,’ simply Modern High German, from Low German dust; corresponds to English dust (but see further Dunst). The final t is probably a derivative; dus, the root, may be the weakest form of an Aryan dhwes; Old Indian dhvas, dhvaṅs, seems to have been always nasalised; it signifies ‘fly about like dust, scatter dust when running swiftly,’ which is in harmony with the meaning of Dust, ‘dust.’