An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Löwe

by Friedrich Kluge

Löwe, m., ‘lion,’ from the equiv. MidHG. lęwe, lëwe (louwe, löuwe), OHG. lëwo, lęwo (louwo), m.; comp. OSax. and AS. leo, Du. leeuw; undoubtedly a loan-word, since there is no common Teut. and no old Aryan term for ‘lion.’ Lat. leo, however, does not suffice to explain all the G. forms of Middle Europe. OHG. louwo and MidHG. löuwe, ‘lion,’ are specially abnormal (E. lion is derived from Fr. lion). These late occurring OHG. forms with ou are preserved in ModHG. names of places and streets, such as Lauenburg, Lauengasse. The MidHG. fem. lunze (also lewinne), ‘lioness,’ still remains obscure.