An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Koben
Koben, m., ‘hovel,’ from MidHG. kobe, m., ‘stable, pigsty, cage’; the ModHG. variant Kofen is derived, as the f indicates, from LG. The word had orig. a more general sense, and was not restricted merely to a shed for animals and pigs. Even in ModHG. the earlier meaning ‘hut’ is found; comp. MidHG. kobel, ‘narrow house'; Ic. kofi, m., ‘hut, penthouse, partition.’ In AS. the corresponding cofa is specially used as a choice poetic term for ‘apartment, bed-chamber’; hence E. cove and pigeon-cove. Goth. *kuba, on which these words are based, is wanting. The word is genuinely Teut., as is proved by OHG. chubisi (Goth. *kubisi), ‘hut,’ which, from its form, is a derivative of a far earlier period; comp. also MidHG. kober, ‘basket, pocket,³ AS. cofl, ‘basket.’ See Kobold and Kübel.