An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Schachtel

by Friedrich Kluge

Schachtel, feminine, ‘box, bandbox,’ from the equivalent late Middle High German schahtel, feminine, which, with its equally late variant schatel, is borrowed from Italian scatola, ‘bandbox, box.’ The change of the simple t into cht in Middle High German and Modern High German has not yet been explained; compare, however, Middle High German schahtelân and schatelan for kastelân. — Schatulle is a recent loan-word with the same signification. Schachtel, ‘old woman,’ occurs even in late Middle High German, in which schahtel also means ‘feminal.’ The latter looks a Low German loan-word for High German schaftel, from Schaft.