An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Gliedmaßen

by Friedrich Kluge

Gliedmaßen, plural, ‘limbs,’ from Middle High German lidemâȥ, gelidemœȥe, ‘limb’; corresponding to Old Frisian lithmâta, Dutch lidmaat, ledemaat. The meaning of the second part of the compound is not clear (Middle High German gelidemâȥe, feminine, signifies ‘length of body’). Compare Old Swedish liþa-, mót, Icelandic liðamǒt, ‘limbs.’