An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Wüste

by Friedrich Kluge

Wüste, f., ‘desert, wilderness,’ from the equiv. MidHG. wüeste, OHG. wuostî (wuostinna), f.; comp. OSax. wôstinnia, AS. wêsten, ‘wilderness.’ To these West Teut. cognates, which point to a pre-Teut. adj. wâstu, OIr. fás, and Lat. vâstus, ‘waste,’ are primit. allied. The West Teut. adj. cannot be borrowed from Lat. (only MidHG. waste, ‘desert,’ is probably thus obtained).