An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Masche

by Friedrich Kluge

Masche, f., ‘mesh, stitch,’ from MidHG. mā̆sche, OHG. and OLG. mā̆sca, f., ‘mesh, snare’; comp. AS. mœ̂sce, E. mesh, OIc. mǫskve, m.; Goth. *mêsqa, *masqa, are by chance not recorded. According to the permutation of consonants, the latter is based on pre-Teut. mêzga- (mosga-); comp. Lith. mázgas, ‘threads interlaced, knot,’ which is connected with a vb. mezgù (mègsti), ‘to tie knots, knit (nets).’ Thus Masche may be traced to a Teut. root mêsg (pre-Teut. and Aryan mē̆zg), ‘to plait.’