An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Demut
Demut, f., ‘submissiveness, humility,’ from the equiv. MidHG. dêmuot, diemuot, diemüete, OHG. deomuoti, ‘condescension, gentleness, modesty.’ The correctly developed form from the OHG. deomuoti would be ModHG. Diemüte; the present form is due partly to LG. influence, partly to its having been connected with Armut; but while in the latter -ut is properly a suffix, OHG. deomuoti, f., is a compound. The second component is a deriv. of OHG. muot (see Mut); OHG. dio, however, is Goth. þius (stem þiwa-; comp. dienen, Dirne, and also Degen), ‘hind, servant’; Demut is ‘the befitting quality of a servant, the disposition of the attendant.’ Neither the word nor the idea is OTeut. (the Goth. said hauneins, ‘abasement, baseness,’ for Demut); both were introduced by Christianity.