An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Distel

by Friedrich Kluge

Distel, f., ‘thistle,’ from the equiv. MidHG. distel, m. and f., OHG. distila, f., distil, m.; corresponds to Du. and LG. distel, AS. þistel, E. thistle, OIc. þistell. Modern LG. and Eng. dialects have î in the accented syllable; hence the root is þī̆st? Akin to Goth. wiga-deinô, ‘milk-thistle’?.