An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Axt

by Friedrich Kluge

Axt, f. (with a dental added as in Hüfte, Habicht, and Obst, &c.), from the equiv. MidHG. ackes (late MidHG. axt), f., OHG. acchus (plur. acchussi), f., ‘axe.’ It corresponds to OSax. accus, Du. aaks (from akes), AS. œx (from *œcces), E. ax, axe, OIc. öx, Goth. aqizi, f., ‘axe.’ The Teut. word is based upon Aryan agésî, or rather agzî (aksî); comp. the prim. cognate Gr. ἀξίνη, ‘axe,’ with which perhaps the equiv. Lat. ascia, in case it stands for ac-scia, is connected. Lat. acies, ‘sharpness,’ and Gr. ἀκή, ‘point,’ as well as Sans. açri, ‘edge’ (see Ähre, Ecke), are not allied to Axt.