An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Demut

by Friedrich Kluge

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.