An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Eingeweide

by Friedrich Kluge

Eingeweide, n., ‘entrails, bowels, intestines,’ from MidHG. ĭngeweide (AS. innoþ from *inwâþ), n., ‘bowels,’ for which geweide, n., also meaning ‘food,’ chiefly occurs; ModHG. ein- for ModHG. ĭn, ‘within, inside’; OHG. weida, ‘food, pasture.’ Therefore Eingeweide must have meant lit. ‘the food that has been eaten,’ and afterwards ‘the organs at work in digesting it’; comp. also ausweiden, ‘to disembowel.’ See Weide. —