An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Hülle

by Friedrich Kluge

Hülle, f., ‘envelop, covering, sheath,’ from MidHG. hülle, OHG. hulla (Goth. *hulja), f., ‘cloak, kerchief, covering’; allied to the root hel, ‘to cover for concealment,’ in hehlen. — ModHG. in Hülle und Fülle meant orig. ‘in food and clothing’; hence Hülle und Fülle was used to denote all the necessaries of life, finally the idea of superfluity was combined with the phrase.