An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Bote

by Friedrich Kluge

Bote, masculine, ‘messenger,’ from the equivalent Middle High German bote, Old High German boto; compare Old Low German and Old Dutch bodo, Anglo-Saxon boda, ‘messenger.’ To this Botschaft, from Middle High German boteschaft, botschaft, Old High German botoscaft, botascaf (Old Saxon bodscepi, Anglo-Saxon bodscipe), is related. See Schaft. Bote (Gothic *buda) is the name of the agent, from the root bud, Aryan bhudh, appearing in bieten.