An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Gemahl

by Friedrich Kluge

Gemahl, masculine and neuter, ‘consort, spouse,’ from Middle High German gemahele, masculine, ‘betrothed, husband,’ and gemahele, feminine (very rarely neuter, which is first found in Luther specially), ‘betrothed, wife’ (the feminine form Gemahlin is wanting in Middle High German); Old High German gimahalo, masculine, ‘betrothed, husband,’ gimahala (gimâla), ‘betrothed, wife.’ Simply a German form from a common Teutonic substantive maþla- (whence mahla-), ‘public assembly, negotiation’; compare Gothic maþl, ‘assembly, market’ (akin to maþljan, ‘to make a speech’), Old Icelandic, mál, ‘speech’ (mœ̂la, ‘to make a speech), Anglo-Saxon meðel, ‘assembly’ (maðolian, mœ̂lan, ‘to make a speech’), Old High German mahal, ‘assembly, contract, marriage contract.’ Hence the substantive upon which the word is based has assumed in German only, the special reference to the act of betrothal in the public assembly before the community.