An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Legel

by Friedrich Kluge

Legel, masculine, ‘keg, cruse,’ from Middle High German lœ̂gel, lâgel, lœ̂gele, feminine, ‘small cask,’ Old High German lâgila, lâgella, feminine, which is derived from Middle Latin lagêna, ‘a measure for liquids and for dry goods’ (Latin lagôna, lagoena, ‘flask,’ from Greek λάγηνος, λάγῦνος ἡ, ‘flagon’); with respect to l for Latin n in words borrowed from Latin compare Kümmel (also Himmel, schlennig). Moreover, the primitive kinship of the High German cognates with Old Slovenian lakŭtĭ, Lithuanian lakas, ‘earthen pitcher,’ is perhaps conceivable.