An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Streifen

by Friedrich Kluge

Streifen, m., ‘stripe, streak,’ from late MidHG. streif, m., ‘expedition,’ allied to MidHG. streifen (streipfen), wk. vb., ‘to glide, march, roam’; comp. Du. strippen, ‘to strip off leaves’ (streep, ‘stripe, streak, stroke’). Further cognates are wanting.