An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Jauchert

by Friedrich Kluge

Jauchert, Juchert, masculine, from the equivalent Middle High German jûchert, late Old High German juhhart (û?), neuter, ‘acre’; the Bavarian and Alemannian word for the Franconian and Middle German Morgen. The usual derivation from Latin jûgerum, ‘acre of land’ (properly 5/8 acre), does not offer a satisfactory explanation of the Old High German word, for the equivalent Middle High German jiuch, neuter and feminine, ‘acre of land,’ can only be cognate with Latin jûgernum, and not a mutilated form of the Latin original. Hence Middle High German jiuch, like Latin jûgerum, is doubtlessly connected with Modern High German Joch and Latin jugum; consequently Juchert is literally ‘as much land as can be ploughed by a yoke of oxen in a day’; the suffix of Old High German juhhart suggests that of Middle High German egerte, ‘fallow land.’ See Joch.