An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Runzel

by Friedrich Kluge

Runzel, feminine, ‘wrinkle, fold, rumple,’ from the equivalent Middle High German runzel, Old High German runzila, feminine; diminutive of Old High German runza, Middle High German runze, feminine, ‘wrinkle.’ By inference from Old Icelandic krukka, Middle High German runke, and English wrinkle (Anglo-Saxon wrincle), the Old High German from runza represents *wrunkza, *wrunkizza, with a diminutive suffix; the loss of the guttural is normal as in Blitz from *blikz, Lenz from *lęnkz. In the non-Teutonic languages compare Latin rûga, Lithuanian rùkti, ‘to become wrinkled,’ raúkas, ‘wrinkle’ (see further rauh).