An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Gelichter

by Friedrich Kluge

Gelichter, neuter, ‘likeness, cast, stamp,’ literally ‘class of people of like manners’; in this sense glihter and its derivatives occur even in late Middle High German (Middle German); derived from Middle High German gelich, gleich (see the latter). Yet the Upper German form glifter points to a blending with another word, Gothic *gahliftrja, ‘thief's accomplice’ (akin to Gothic hlifan, ‘to steal,’ primitively allied to Greek κλέπτω). For High German ft, equivalent to Low German ht, see sacht, ruchbar, Gerücht.