An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Kohl

by Friedrich Kluge

Kohl, m.. ‘cabbage,’ from the equiv. MidHG. and OHG. kôl, m., with the variants OHG. chôli, MidHG. kœle, kœl, m. (comp. Alem. chœl, kêl), as well as OHG. chôlo, chŏlo, m., MidHG. kôle, kŏle, kŏl, and OHG. chôla, f. Adopted with the South Europ. culinary art and horticulture from Lat. caulis, m., ‘cabbage’; E. cole; MidE. caul, coul, AS. câwl, as well as OIc. kál, n., point to Lat. caulis, whence also Ital. cavolo, Fr. chou, ‘cabbage,’ and W. cawl. The ‘apparently vernacular’ Lat. côlis would have left no trace in the history of language if the MidHG. forms kŏle, kŏl, with a short accented syllable, were not derived from it. Most of the G. varieties of fruits and vegetables may have been introduced into Germany with the art of cookery in the 6th or 7th cent.; comp. Eppich, kochen, Pfeffer, Minze, Pflaume, and Kirsche.