An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Wachholder

by Friedrich Kluge

Wachholder, m., ‘juniper, gin’; the word has attained its present form by many inorganic changes; it is based on the equiv. OHG. wëhhalturia (MidHG. wëcheltürre) and wëhhœltar (MidHG. wëcholter); in MidHG. also wachalter, quëckolter, rëckholter in represented by the modern Alem. form Reckholder). Holunder and Maßholder show that the derivative syllable is MidHG. -ter; as in the case of Maßholder, the final syllables were changed to Holder, equiv. to Holunder. The signification of the l derivative, OHG. *wëhhal, ‘juniper’ (also wëhhan- in dial. Wachandel), is entirety inexplicable.