An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Menge

by Friedrich Kluge

Menge, feminine, ‘crowd, multitude, mass,’ from Middle High German męnege, Old High German męnigî, managî, feminine, ‘multiplicity, great number, crowd’; an abstract from Old High German manag, ‘much’; Gothic managei, feminine, Anglo-Saxon męnigo, ‘multiplicity.’ Originally it was not connected with the following word, but in modern times it may be dimly thought to be akin to it.