An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Not

by Friedrich Kluge

Not, f., ‘need, compulsion, distress,’ from MidHG. and OHG. nôt, f. (seldom masc.), ‘toil, oppression, danger, struggle, compulsion’; a common Teut. form; comp. Goth. nauþs, f., ‘necessity, compulsion, force,’ OIc. nauðr, f., ‘necessity,’ AS. nŷd, neád, f., E. need, Du. nood, OSax. nôd. The common Teut. stems naudi, nauþi, from pre-Teut. nauti-, have been connected with Pruss. nauti-, ‘distress’; nau- (see genau) is probably the root. —