An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Espe

by Friedrich Kluge

Espe, f., ‘aspen-tree,’ from the equiv.MidHG. aspe, OHG. aspa (hence UpG. ašpe). Comp. the exactly equiv. AS. œsp, E. asp, OIc. ǫsp; scarcely allied to Esche; more probably connected with Lat. arbor, ‘tree,’ if the latter represents an orig. *asbos.