An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Winter

by Friedrich Kluge

Winter, m., ‘winter,’ from the equiv. MidHG. winter, OHG. wintar, m.; a common Teut. term, wanting in the other Aryan languages. Comp. Goth. wintrus, AS. and E. winter, OSax. wintar. The allied languages used a stem ghī̆m (ghiem); comp. Lat. hiems, Gr. χειμών, OSlov. and Zend zima, Sans. hêmanta (also in the Lex Salica ingimus, ‘anniculus’). These Aryan cognates, which may also signify ‘snow’ and ‘storm’ (comp. Gr. χεῖμα, ‘storm’), cannot, for phonological reasons, be allied to the Teut. group. They suggest, however, a connection between Winter and Wind; yet the Teut. bases wintru- and windo- do not agree phonologically. Perhaps those are right who regard Winter as the ‘white period,’ referring it to OGall. vindo-, ‘white’ as in Vindo-bona, Vindo-magus, Vindo-nissa); comp. OIr. find, ‘white.’ In the OTeut. languages Winter also signifies ‘year,’ which is still retained in the ModHG. dial. Einwinter, ‘yearling kid, steer’ (AS. œ̂netre, ‘of one year’).