An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Elentier

by Friedrich Kluge

Elentier, neuter, also Elen, Elend, masculine and neuter, ‘elk,’ first occurs in Modern High German with an excrescent d (as in Mond); borrowed from Lithuanian élnis, ‘elk’ (Old Slovenian jelenĭ, ‘stag’), with which Old Slovenian lani, ‘hind’ (from *olnia), is primitively allied. From the Modern High German word French élan, ‘elk,’ is derived. The genuine Old German term for Elen is Elch (English elk); compare Middle High German ëlch, ëlhe, masculine, Old High German ëlaho, Anglo-Saxon eolh, Old Icelandic elgr. The last word (originating in algi-) is termed alces in Cæsar's Bell. Gall., with which Russian losĭ (from Old Slavonic *olsĭ?) is also remotely connected. Perhaps Old German Elch facilitated the introduction of the Lithuanian word.