An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/missen

by Friedrich Kluge

missen, vb., ‘to be without, do without,’ from MidHG. and OHG. missen, ‘to miss’; comp. AS. missan, E. to miss, and the equiv. OIc. missa; Goth. *missjan is wanting. It is clearly connected with West Teut. mîþan, ‘to avoid,’ which is related to an old partic. missa- (for *miþta- with -tó-), meaning ‘avoided, frustrated’; comp. meiden and miß.