An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Essig

by Friedrich Kluge

Essig, masculine (with the normal unaccented g for ch), ‘vinegar,’ from the equivalent Middle High German ęȥȥī̆ch (that the i is long is proved by its change into the diphthong ei in late Middle High German ezseich), Old High German ęȥȥîh (hh), masculine. A remarkable loan-word, corresponding to Middle Low German ętik, Old Swedish œtikia, Swedish ättika; also Old Low German ęcid, Anglo-Saxon ęced, which with Gothic akeit(s), ‘vinegar,’ are based upon Latin acêtum. For the High German, Low German, and Swedish words we must assume a form *atêcum, produced by metathesis of the consonants — Old High German ęȥȥîh from atîk for atêko, which, however, is not attested by any Romance form; for such transpositions compare. Romance alenâre from Latin anhelare, Middle High German biever from vieber (see further citations under einzeln, Fieber, Erle, Kabeljau, kitzeln, Ziege). There is a remarkable form in Swiss dialects, achiss, echiss, which is based upon an untransposed form corresponding to Gothic akeit(s). The Latin-Romance acêtum (Italian aceto; but French vinaigre and English vinegar from Latin vinum acre) has also made its way into other countries — Old Slovenian acǐtŭ (from Gothic akeits?), Old Irish acat. — The Upper German verb esseln, ‘to taste of vinegar,’ may perhaps be based upon some such form as Old French aisil (Middle English aisil).