An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Teller

by Friedrich Kluge

Teller, masculine, ‘plate, salver,’ from the equivalent Middle High German teller, teler (telier), masculine; the word was borrowed in the 14th century from Italian tagliere (French tailloir), ‘chopping board,’ which belongs, like Italian tagliare (French tailler), ‘to cut to pieces,’ to Italian taglia, ‘incision’; compare French détail.