An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/stampfen

by Friedrich Kluge

stampfen, vb., ‘to stamp, pound,’ from the equiv. MidHG. stampfen, OHG. stampfôn; a derivative of ModHG. Stampf, MidHG. and OHG. stampf, ‘punch’; comp. Du. stampen, E. to stamp, OIc. stappa (for *stampa), ‘to stamp, push.’ From these cognates Ital. stampare, Fr. étamper, ‘to impress,’ Ital. stampa, ‘stamp, impression,’ and Fr. estampe, are borrowed. Akin to Stempel and stumpf. The Teut. root stamp (stump), ‘to push,’ contained in these words, seems to be connected with Gr. στέμβω, ‘I tread’ (and Sans. stamba, ‘post’?). Comp. Stapfe and Stempel.