An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Kanne

by Friedrich Kluge

Kanne, f., ‘can, tankard, jug,’ from the equiv. MidHG. kanne, OHG. channa, f.; comp. AS. canne, E. can; OIc. kanna, Goth. *kannô. The OTeut. word cannot have been borrowed from Lat. cantharus (Gr. κάνθαρος); an assumed corruption of kantarum, m. acc. to a fem. kannô, is improbable. The derivation of Kanne, from Lat. canna, ‘cane,’ is opposed by the meaning of the word. Since ModHG. Kahn is based upon a Teut. root ka-, the latter can hardly be adduced in explanation of Kanne, although the meaning of both might be deduced from a prim. sense ‘hollowed wood,’ If we assume, as is quite possible, a Goth. *kaznô, ‘can,’ another etymology presents itself, Goth. kas, OIc. ker and OHG. char, ‘vessel,’ would be cognate, and -nô-, a suffix of the same root. If we compare, however, with Kanne the Suab. and Alem. variant Kante, which is based upon OHG. chanta, we obtain kan- as the root. The G. word passed into Fr. (Mod. Fr. canette, ‘small can,’ equiv. to MidLat. cannetta, dimin. of MidLat. canna).