An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/treu

by Friedrich Kluge

treu, adj., ‘true, faithful,’ from late MidHG. triuwe, for which classical MidHG. has getriuwe (hence ModHG. getreu), OHG. gitriuwi, ‘true, faithful, trusty, loyal.’ Properly a derivative of OHG. triuwa, MidHG. triuwe (ModHG. Treue), f.; getreu, lit. ‘possessing loyalty.’ in OSax. triuwi, Du. trouw, AS. treówe, trŷwe (E. true, truth, to trow, and to trust), Goth. triggws, ‘true.’ Teut. treuwo- (treuwi-?), for pre-Teut. dréwo-, is related to the assumed (see trauen) Aryan root drū̆, ‘to have confidence,’ with which Pruss. druwis, ‘belief,’ is connected. OHG. triuwa, f., ‘fidelity,’ corresponds to OSax. treuwa, AS. treów, ‘fidelity,’ Goth. triggwa, ‘agreement, compact’; with the last signification, Ital. tregua, Fr. trève, ‘armistice,’ borrowed from Teut., are connected.