An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Verstand

by Friedrich Kluge

Verstand, masculine, ‘understanding, intelligence, sense,’ from Middle High German verstant (d), which is used only rarely (in the sense of ‘explanation, information’); compare Middle High German verstantnisse, ‘intelligence, insight, understanding,’ to which Middle High German verstęndic, ‘intelligent,’ is allied. In Old High German too firstantnissi is most frequently used. To this word is allied Modern High German verstehen, verb, ‘to understand, comprehend,’ from Middle High German verstân, Old High German firstân (firstantan), ‘to perceive, see into, notice, understand’; compare Dutch verstaan, Anglo-Saxon forstǫndan (in English to understand). How the meaning can be derived from the root of stehen is not clear; it is usually referred to Greek ἐπίσταμαι, ‘to understand,’ compared with the root στα, ‘to stand.’ —