An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Gemach

by Friedrich Kluge

Gemach, neuter, ‘chamber, apartment; comfort, rest,’ from Middle High German gemach, masculine, neuter, ‘rest, comfort, case, nursing, place where one is nursed, room,’ Old High German gimah(hh), ‘ease, advantage’; the Modern High German meaning is not found until the classical period of Middle High German; the Modern High German adjective gemach, ‘comfortable,’ preserves the earlier meaning, Middle High German gemach, Old High German gimah(hh), ‘comfortable, suitable’; properly, ‘suitable to one another’ (compare Old Icelandic makr, ‘suitable’; see machen). Akin to gemächlich, Middle High German gemechlîch, Old High German gimahlîhho, adverb.