An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Koben
Koben, masculine, ‘hovel,’ from Middle High German kobe, masculine, ‘stable, pigsty, cage’; the Modern High German variant Kofen is derived, as the f indicates, from Low German. The word had originally a more general sense, and was not restricted merely to a shed for animals and pigs. Even in Modern High German the earlier meaning ‘hut’ is found; compare Middle High German kobel, ‘narrow house'; Icelandic kofi, masculine, ‘hut, penthouse, partition.’ In Anglo-Saxon the corresponding cofa is specially used as a choice poetic term for ‘apartment, bed-chamber’; hence English cove and pigeon-cove. Gothic *kuba, on which these words are based, is wanting. The word is genuinely Teutonic, as is proved by Old High German chubisi (Gothic *kubisi), ‘hut,’ which, from its form, is a derivative of a far earlier period; compare also Middle High German kober, ‘basket, pocket,³ Anglo-Saxon cofl, ‘basket.’ See Kobold and Kübel.