An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Daune

by Friedrich Kluge

Daune, Dune, f., ‘down,’ ModHG. only, from the equiv. LG. dûne, f.; comp. OIc. dúnn, m., E. down. Hence the initial dental proves that the ModHG. word is of LG. origin, for since the Scand. and Eng. words begin with d, a genuine HG. word would necessarily have an initial t. The origin of Scand. dúnn is obscure. See Eider, Flaum.