An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Nest

by Friedrich Kluge

Nest, n., ‘nest, haunt,’ from MidHG. and OHG. nëst, n., ‘nest, resting-place for birds and also for sucking animals’; corresponding to MidLG., Du., AS., and E. nest; Goth. *nista- is wanting. The cognates are primit.; the OTeut. form previous to the permutation of consonants was nizdo-, which is indicated likewise b Sans. nîḍa-s, ‘lair of animals,’ also ‘dwelling,’ as well as by OIr. net, ‘nest,’ Lat. nîdus, ‘nest,’ for *nizdus (Lith. lìzdas and Slav. gnězdo, ‘nest,’ are abnormal). The form nizdo- is prop. a compound of the root sed, ‘to sit, seat oneself,’ and the verbal particle ni preserved in Sans. (see nieder); nizdo-, from ni-sedó-, therefore means lit. ‘place of settling’; comp. Sans. ni-sad, ‘to sit down, settle.’ In Lat. and Teut. nîdus and nest assumed the special meaning ‘bird's nest’; similarly in Scand. a general word for ‘couch’ (Gr. κοίτη) was restricted to a bear's haunt (OIc. híþ); it belongs, like Gr. κοίτη, κεῖμαι to the Aryan root çî, ‘to lie’). The Goth. term for ‘nest’ is sitl, lit. ‘seat,’ which therefore is of a cognate root with Nest.