An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Schaf

by Friedrich Kluge

Schaf, neuter, ‘sheep,’ from the equivalent Middle High German schâf, Old High German scâf, neuter; common to West Teutonic in the same sense; compare Old Saxon scâp, neuter, Dutch schaap, neuter, Anglo-Saxon sčęâp, neuter, English sheep; in Gothic lamb (see Lamm), Old Icelandic fœ́r, feminine, ‘sheep,’ whence Fœ́r-eyjar, ‘the Faroe Isles’ (literally ‘sheep isles’). Teutonic skêpo- (for *skêqo-) corresponds perhaps to Sanscrit châga, ‘he-goat.’ Yet Aryan owis, by inference from Latin ovis, Greek ὄϝις, Sanscrit ávis, and Lithuanian avìs (Old Slovenian ovĭca), was the oldest term which is preserved in Old Teutonic and a few Modern Teutonic dialects; compare Gothic awistr, ‘sheepfold,’ *aweiþi, ‘flock of sheep,’ Old High German ou, Old Low German ęwi, Anglo-Saxon eowu, and English ewe (to which to yean from ge-eánian is allied?). —