An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/kund

by Friedrich Kluge

kund, adj., ‘known, manifest,’ from MidHG. kunt(d), OHG. chund, adj., ‘become acquainted, noted, known.’ It corresponds to Goth. kunþs, ‘noted,’ OSax. cûth, AS. cûþ, ‘noted,’ E. couth (now only in the compound uncouth). A common Teut. adj. in the form kunþa-, from the non-permutated gń-to-, which is prop. a partic. in to- from the verbal stem of the root gō̆n, gnô, discussed under können, kennen, and kühn. For other partics. formed into adjs. see under laut.