An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Rotte

by Friedrich Kluge

Rotte, feminine, from the equivalent Middle High German rotte, rote, feminine, ‘troop, detachment’; borrowed in the Middle High German period from Old French rote, ‘division of an army, troop,’ whence also English rout (Middle English route), Dutch rot. The Old French term is derived from Middle Latin rutta, rupta; compare Reuter.