An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Braut

by Friedrich Kluge

Braut, feminine, ‘bride, betrothed,’ from the equivalent Middle High German brût, Old High German brût, feminine Gothic brûþs (stem brûdi-) means ‘daughter-in-law’; from this comes brûþ-faþs, ‘lord of the bride’ (faþs corresponds to Greek πόσις, which stands, as πότνια indicates, for πότις, corresponding to Old Indian patis, ‘lord’), i.e. ‘bridegroom.’ The Middle High German, brût signifies ‘the young, newly married woman’; the borrowed Modern French bru, earlier bruy, is, on account of its meaning, connected most closely with Gothic brûþs. ‘daughter-in-law’; compare νύμφη, ‘betrothed, bride, daughter-in-law.’ In English we may compare Anglo-Saxon brŷd, ‘betrothed,’ English bride, which are primitively allied to the German; compare also English bridal, from Anglo-Saxon brŷd-ealo, hence originally ‘bride-ale.’ English bridegroom is based upon English groom, and represents Anglo-Saxon brŷdguma, the second component of which is Gothic guma, ‘man,’ corresponding to Latin homo (primary form ghomon). The Modern High German Bräutigam is identical in etymology with the Anglo-Saxon word; compare Old High German brûtigomo, Middle High German briutegome, in which the first part is properly genitive singular (compare Nachtigall). The Teutonic root form brûdi- has not yet been explained etymologically; it is a word peculiar to Teutonic, like Weib and Frau. Gothic qino, ‘woman,’ Middle High German kone, are based on an ancient form; compare Greek γυνή, Sanscrit gnâ, ‘woman.’