An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Angst

by Friedrich Kluge

Angst, feminine, from the equivalent Middle High German angest, Old High German angust, feminine, ‘anxiety, apprehension’; this abstract form is wanting in the other Old Teutonic dialects, the suffix st being also very rarely found; compare Dienst. But it must not be assumed therefore that the Old High German angust is borrowed from Latin angustiae, ‘narrowness, meanness.’ It is rather to be regarded as a genuine Teutonic derivative from the root ang appearing in enge, especially as the Old Slovenian in its primitively allied ązostî, ‘contraction,’ shows the same derivation. Hence Angst must be considered as primitively cognate with Latin angustiae. See bange and enge.