An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Gasse

by Friedrich Kluge

Gasse, f., ‘lane, road, row,’ from MidHG. gaȥȥe, OHG. gaȥȥa, f., prop. (as even yet in UpG.) ‘street’; corresponding to Goth. gatwô, f., ‘lane, street,’ OIc. gata (accus. gǫtu), ‘way, street, path.’ From the Scand. word E. gate, ‘way,’ is derived. Properly speaking, the word is unknown to the LG. languages. Whether Gasse is allied to AS. geat, E. (Scotch), gate, gait (see Gatter), OSax. and Du. gat, n., ‘hole, cavern,’ OIc. gat, n., ‘hole,’ and is derived from a prim. meaning, ‘inlet, opening’ — Gasse, lit. ‘furnished with an entrance, a gate,’ on account of the suffix -wân? — cannot be definitely decided; in any case, it is impossible to connect Gasse with gehen, since the latter is based upon a root i (Lat. ire, Gr. ἰέναι).