An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Krone

by Friedrich Kluge

Krone, f., ‘crown,’ from the equiv. MidHG. krône, krôn; in OHG. corôna (with the foreign accent preserved), from Lat. cŏrôna (the unaccented ŏ disappeared in MidHG.); comp. MidE. corûne, croune, E. crown; in MidDu. the double form crône, krûne, existed, Du. kroon, kruin. Scand. krúna, f. In AS. the term cyne-helm, lit. ‘king's helmet,’ was substituted for Lat. corona of the Biblical texts (just as sceptrum was rendered by cynegerd, lit. ‘king's staff’); in OSax. and OHG. hôƀidband, houbitbant, ‘crown.’ These words show that the Teutons had their own distinctive terms for the royal insignia. With the Lat. name they also borrowed a new idea —