An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Pate

by Friedrich Kluge

Pate, m., from the equiv. MidHG. pate (bate), m., ‘godfather, godmother,’ from Lat. pater, the declension being changed to the wk. masc.; Lat. pater spiritualis, ‘sponsor,’ mostly MidLat. patrînus, whence Ital. patrino, Fr. parrain (Du. peet, petekind). MidHG. also pfętter, ‘sponsor’ and ‘child to be baptised,’ from patrînus, whence ModHG. dial. Pfetter, Petter. The initial pf may be due to its having been borrowed at an early period (similarly Du. meter, ‘godmother,’ is borrowed from Lat. matrîna). In Suab. dête, m., and dôte, f., are chiefly used for Pate (dêtle, ‘godchild’), in Bav. Tott, m. and f. With regard to UpG. Gotte, Götti, see under Gote.