An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Ofen

by Friedrich Kluge

Ofen, m., ‘from the equiv. MidHG. oven, OHG. ovan, m., ‘oven’; so too with the same meaning MidLG. and Du. oven, AS. ofen, E. oven, OIc. ofn, ogn (Swed. ugn), Goth. aúhns; the word is common to Teut., hence the thing signified must also be primit. The variation of guttural and labial is seen also in the forms primit. cognate with these, Sans. ukhâ, ‘pot,’ and Gr. ἱπνός, ‘oven’ (for uknos, which is indicated by Goth. aúhns). The orig. sense, ‘pot,’ seems also to follow from AS. ofnet, ‘little vessel.’