An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Ekel

by Friedrich Kluge

Ekel, masculine, ‘nausea, disgust, aversion,’ a Modern High German word, which has obtained a wide circulation through Luther (he used the form Eckel; unknown in the contemporaneous Upper German writings). A Middle German word with obscure cognates; it is perhaps connected with Anglo-Saxon âcol, ‘burdensome, troublesome’ (base aiklo-), and probably also to Low German extern, ‘to vex’ (Dutch akelig, ‘terrible,’ English ‘ache’?). The h in Upper German heifel (Swiss, heikχel) may be excrescent, as in heischen. These cognates have probably no connection with a Teutonic root erk, ‘to vomit, nauseare,’ to which old Upper German erkele, ‘to loathe,’ English irksome, to irk, are allied. —