An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Fluder

by Friedrich Kluge

Fluder, n. ‘mill trough,’ from MidHG. vlôder, n., ‘flowing, flooding, mill trough,’ OHG. flôdar, ‘flood of tears.’ In Goth. *flauþr, n., is probably to be assumed, based upon a root flau, flu; comp. OHG. flouwen, flęwen, MidHG. vlouwen, vlöun, ‘to wash, rinse.’ The prop. sense of the word is exactly that of fließen; comp. OIc. flau-mr, ‘current, flood’; for pre-Teut. plu, see under fließen.