An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Schein
Schein, m., ‘shining, sheen, semblance, appearance,’ from MidHG. schîn, OHG. scîn, m., ‘lustre, shining, brightness, clearness,’ late MidHG., also ‘evidence, testimony, appearance’; comp. OSax. skîn, m., ‘lustre,’ Du. schijn, AS. sčîn, ‘ghost.’ An abstract of scheinen, vb., from MidHG. schînen, OHG. scînan, ‘to glitter, appear; show oneself’; comp. the equiv. OSax. scînan, Du. schijnen, AS. sčînan, E. to shine, OIc. skína, Goth. skeinan. The Teut. root skî, whence skînan, str. vb., is formed with a present suffix na-, appears with a suffix m in schimmern. Akin probably to Gr. σκιὰ, ‘shadow,’ see Schemen; also Gr. σκίρον, ‘parasol’?. See schier.