An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Watte
Watte, feminine, ‘wadding, fleece,’ Modern High German only, from Dutch watte; allied to the equivalent English wad, French ouate, Italian ovate. The origin of the cognates is not to be sought for in Teutonic, since the Teutonic words have appeared only in modern times, and no other undoubted cognates are to be found in the group. The word was also borrowed in Romance.