An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Klage

by Friedrich Kluge

Klage, f., from the equiv. MidHG. klage, OHG. chlaga, f., ‘complaint,’ prop. ‘a wail as an expression of pain’; wanting in all the early periods of the OTeut. languages except OHG.; adopted as a legal term in ModIc. in the form of klögun. ModHG and MidHG. klagen, from OHG. chlagôn. The pre-Teut. root is probably glak or glagh; yet cognates are wanting.