An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/nicht

by Friedrich Kluge

nicht, particle, ‘not,’ from MidHG. niht, pronom. subst., ‘nothing,’ OHG. niwiht, neowiht, ‘not’; it is used even in OHG. and MidHG. to strengthen the negative ni, en. In the 12th cent. this negative begins to be omitted, and towards the end of the 15th cent. it entirely disappears, its place being taken by nicht. In zu nichte machen, ‘to bring to nought, ruin,’ and mit nichten, ‘by no means,’ nicht is still used as a subst. (see Niete), OHG. neowiht is a compound from ni eo wiht, ‘never a whit’ (comp. Wicht); so OSax. neowiht, Du. niet, AS. nâwiht, náuht, E. not and naught; Goth. ni waíhts, ‘nothing,’ ni waíhtai, ‘by no means.’ See nein, nie, noch, and nur.