An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Kamerad

by Friedrich Kluge

Kamerad, masculine, ‘comrade, companion,’ Modern High German only, from French camarade (Italian camerata, ‘society,’ literally ‘comrades living together in a room,’ then too ‘companion’), whence also English comrade. Old Teutonic had a number of terms for Modern High German Kamerad; compare Geselle, Gesinde, Old High German gidofto, ‘companion’ (compare Decht and Dost), simply forms illustrative of the Old Teutonic heroic age, which were partly disused in the Middle High German period in favour of the foreign terms Kumpan and Kamerad.