An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Hund

by Friedrich Kluge

Hund, m., ‘dog, hound,’ from the equiv. MidHG. hunt(d), OHG. hunt(t), m.; a common Teut. word hunda-, ‘dog’; comp. Goth. hunds, OIc. hundr, AS. hund, E. hound (for the chase only, in other cases dog, AS. docge), Du. hond, LG. hund. If the second syllable in hun-da- is a derivative (comp. Hinde), the Teut. word corresponds to Aryan kun-, ‘dog’; comp. Gr. κύων (gen. κυν-ὁς), Sans. çvã (gen. çún-as), Lat. canis, Lith. szu̇ (stem szun-), OIr. cú. Thus the Aryans in their primit. home were already acquainted with the dog as distinct from the wolf. In Teut. it might also appear as if the word were connected with an old str. vb. hinþan, ‘to catch’ (in Goth.); in popular etymology Hund might he regarded as the ‘captor, hunter, taker of prey.’ The phrase auf den Hund kommen, ‘to fall into poverty, go to the dogs,’ seems to be based upon the OTeut. expression in dice-playing (see gefallen, Sau, and also Daus); probably Hund, like Lat. canis and Gr. κύων, denoted an unlucky throw; in Sans. the professional gambler is called ‘dog-slayer’ (çvaghnin). The probable antiquity of dice-playing is attested by Tacitus' account of the Teutons and by the songs of the Vedas.