An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Traufe

by Friedrich Kluge

Traufe, feminine, ‘dripping of water, eaves, gutter,’ from the equivalent Middle High German troufe, feminine, Middle High German and Old High German trouf, masculine. A graded form from triefen, ‘to drop, trickle’; so too Modern High German träufeln, träufen, ‘to drip, trickle,’ from Middle High German tröufen, Middle High German and Old High German troufen, literally ‘to cause to drop.’