An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/schöpfen

by Friedrich Kluge

schöpfen, vb., ‘to draw (water, &c.),’ from the equiv. MidHG. and OHG. schępfen; comp. OSax. skęppian, Du. scheppen, ‘to draw (water).’ The verbal root skap does not occur elsewhere in this sense; the same dials. have also corresponding noun derivatives. Under Scheffel a root skap, ‘to contain,’ is deduced; with this the cognates of schaffen are also primit. allied. See Schoppen.