An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Mispel

by Friedrich Kluge

Mispel, feminine, from the equivalent Middle High German mispel, with the variants mespel, nespel, feminine Old High German mespila, feminine, ‘medlar,’ with the variant nespila. From Middle Latin mespila, whence also, with the change of the initial m into n., the corresponding Romance cognates (Italian nespola, French nèfle). The ultimate source is Greek μέσπιλον, ‘medlar.’