An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/kalt

by Friedrich Kluge

kalt, adjective, ‘cold,’ from the equivalent Middle High German and Old High German kalt (genitive kaltes): corresponding to Anglo-Saxon ceald, cald, English cold, Old Icelandic kaldr, Gothic kalds,; an old participle formation corresponding to the Latin vbs. in -tus, Sanscrit ta-s (Gothic d from Aryan t), as in alt, laut, todt, traut, zart, &c. kal- as the root appears in a stronger stage of gradation in Modern High German kühl, and in a weaker stage in Old Icelandic kulde, ‘cold.’ In Old Icelandic and Anglo-Saxon the strong verb of which Modern High German kalt and Old Icelandic keldr are participles is retained; Scandinavian kala, ‘to freeze,’ Anglo-Saxon calan, ‘to freeze’; allied to Swiss χale, ‘to cool,’ and hence ‘curdle.’ Note Modern English chill from Anglo-Saxon čyle (from čęli, kali). The root is identical with that of Latin gelu, ‘frost,’ gelâre, ‘to congeal,’ gelidus, ‘cold.’