An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Kraut

by Friedrich Kluge

Kraut, n., ‘herb, vegetable, weed,’ from MidHG. krût, n., ‘small foliated plant, herb, vegetable,’ espec. ‘cabbage,’ OHG. krût, OSax. crûd; Du. kruid, n., ‘herb, spice, gunpowder’ (the last meaning is also found in MidHG. from the 14th cent.); MidE. crûdewain (Du. kruidwagen), ‘ammunition waggon,’ seems to have been borrowed. Goth. *krûþ (gen. *krûdis), n., might be taken for krû-da-, with the suffix da- from tó (Aryan grû-tó-). Gr. γρύτη, ‘lumber, trash,’ does not agree in meaning. Perhaps the word should be connected rather with the Gr. root βρυ- for gru; comp. βρύω, ‘to swell,’ ἔμβρυον, ‘embryo,’ βρύον, ‘moss.’ From G. is derived Fr. choucroute, m., ‘pickled cabbage.’