An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Stock

by Friedrich Kluge

Stock, masculine, ‘stick, staff,’ from Middle High German stoc (ck), Old High German stoc (ch), masculine, ‘stick, staff, trunk’ (of a tree, &c.); corresponding to Dutch stok, Anglo-Saxon stocc, English stock, Old Icelandic stokkr. The primary meaning ‘stake, club, stick,’ leads to the Sanscrit root tuj, ‘to brandish or hurl weapons, set in violent motion’ (for Sanscrit t, equivalent to Teutonic st, compare Stier). From Teutonic are derived the Romance class, Italian stocco, ‘rapier.’ Allied also to Stück.