An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Egge

by Friedrich Kluge

Egge, feminine, ‘harrow,’ simply Modern High German, from Low German egge; likewise eggen from Low German, because a corresponding High German word would be ecken or egen. The Middle High German word is ęgede, Old High German ęgida, feminine, ‘harrow,’ Old High German ęcken (participle gi-ęgit), ‘to harrow,’ Middle High German ęgen. Compare Dutch egge, Anglo-Saxon ęgeðe; Gothic *agjan, ‘to harrow,’ *agiþa, ‘harrow,’ are not recorded. The Teutonic root ag (ah), ‘to harrow,’ from pre-Teutonic ak, ok, is most closely connected with Latin occa, ‘harrow,’ Lithuanian akėiti, ‘to harrow,’ akėczos, ‘harrow,’ OCorn. ocet, Welsh oged, ‘harrow.’ The West European cognates may also be further connected with Ecke (Latin acies).

Egge, is derived rather, like Roggen, from Upper German (Swiss egge, pronounced ecke), but the pronunciation of the gg was softened in Low German, probably on account of the spelling (see Epheu); yet egge is also Livonian. In Middle German and Low German the harrow is called écke (in Middle German also êke). The term for 'wheat' (Weizen) seems also to be influenced by Upper German