An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Münster

by Friedrich Kluge

Münster, neuter and masculine, ‘minster, cathedral,’ from. Middle High German münster, Old High German munustiri, munistri, neuter, properly ‘monastery, convent’ (Old High German), then (Middle High German) ‘monastery or convent church, collegiate church, cathedral’; compare Anglo-Saxon mynster, English minster. Formed from Latin and Greek monastêrium, ‘monastery,’ whence also Modern French moutier, ‘monastery, convent’ (compare also Old Irish munter, manister, as well as Old Slovenian monastyrĭ, ‘monastery’). Middle Latin monasteria were originally cellae in quibus unicus degit monachus, then generally ‘monastery,’ finally ‘cathedral,’ quod plerisque in ecclesiis cathedralibus monachi, non ut hodie canonici, olim sacra munera obirent (this signification is found even towards the end of the 11th century). Mönch was borrowed at the same period as Münster; compare Abt and Probst.