An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Strumpf

by Friedrich Kluge

Strumpf, masculine, ‘stocking,’ from Middle High German strumpf, masculine, ‘stump, trunk (of a tree, of a body).’ These meanings of the Middle High German word that it is equivalent to the following word (*strumpo- for *strunqo-?). The Modern High German sense results from the originally current compound Hosenstrumpf (hence literally ‘the end of the hose, short hose’).