An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/nicht

by Friedrich Kluge

nicht, particle, ‘not,’ from Middle High German niht, pronominal substantive, ‘nothing,’ Old High German niwiht, neowiht, ‘not’; it is used even in Old High German and Middle High German to strengthen the negative ni, en. In the 12th century this negative begins to be omitted, and towards the end of the 15th century it entirely disappears, its place being taken by nicht. In zu nichte machen, ‘to bring to nought, ruin,’ and mit nichten, ‘by no means,’ nicht is still used as a substantive (see Niete), Old High German neowiht is a compound from ni eo wiht, ‘never a whit’ (compare Wicht); so Old Saxon neowiht, Dutch niet, Anglo-Saxon nâwiht, náuht, English not and naught; Gothic ni waíhts, ‘nothing,’ ni waíhtai, ‘by no means.’ See nein, nie, noch, and nur.