An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Gesinde

by Friedrich Kluge

Gesinde, n., ‘domestics, servants,’ from MidHG. gesinde, OHG. gisindi, n., ‘suite, followers in war’; collective of MidHG. gesint(d), OHG. gisind, ‘follower,’ lit. ‘one who joins in a sind,’ from OHG. sind, m., ‘journey, expedition’; corresponding to AS. sîð, ‘journey,’ whence gesîð, ‘companion, fellow-traveller,’ Goth. sinþs, ‘journey’ (gasinþa, ‘fellow-traveller’). To the OTeut. sinþa- (from pre-Teut. sénto-) corresponds OIr. sét, ‘way.’ See senden and sinnen. — ModHG. Gesindel, ‘rabble, mob, vagabonds,’ dimin. of Gesinde, also used in a contemptuous sense, so even in late MidHG. gesindelœhe, gesindelach (with a collective suffix). —