An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Trost

by Friedrich Kluge

Trost, m., ‘comfort, consolation,’ from MidHG. and OHG. trôst, m., ‘comfort, help, protection, assurance, confidence’; corresponding to OIc. traust, m., ‘assurance,’ Goth. traust (gen. traustis for -eis), ‘treaty, alliance.’ The word is a derivative of the Teut. root traus, a variant of the root trū̆ appearing in trauen. Comp. OIc. traustr, adj., ‘certain, strong, firm,’ lit. ‘that in which one has confidence.’ —