An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Pritsche

by Friedrich Kluge

Pritsche, f., ‘bat, racket, wooden sword of a harlequin,’ from late MidHG. *britze, f., which is only implied, however, by the two compounds — britzelmeister, ModHG. Pritschelmeister, ‘a harlequin carrying a wooden sword with which he directs the order of the game,’ and britzelslahen, ‘blow with the wooden sword.’ The meaning ‘wooden conch’ points to a connection between Pritsche and Brett.