An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Schoß

Schoß (1.), masculine, ‘‘shoot, sprout, sprig,’ from the equivalent Middle High German schoȥ (ȥȥ), neuter, and with the same meaning even Old High German scoȥ, neuter, and scoȥȥa, feminine; allied to the root skū̆t, ‘to shoot.’ From the Old High German word with the Low German dental is derived French écot, ‘stump of a tree.’ To this Modern High German Schößling, from Middle High German schüȥȥelinc, is allied.

Schoß (2.), ‘tax, scot,’ from Middle High German (Middle German) schoȥ, masculine, ‘tax, rent’; compare Dutch schot, Anglo-Saxon sčęot (English scot), ‘tax, score.’ The great antiquity of the West Teutonic cognates is attested by the Romance loan-words, Italian scotto, ‘score,’ French écot, ‘score.’ The Teutonic words are formed from the root skū̆t, ‘to shoot,’ which in Anglo-Saxon sceótan, ‘to shoot,’ has also the secondary meaning, ‘to contribute money.’

Schoß (3.), Schooß, masculine, ‘lap,’ from Middle High German schôȥ, masculine, feminine, and neuter, Old High German scôȥ, scôȥo, scôȥa, masculine and feminine, ‘skirt of a garment, petticoat, lap’ (to this Lombardic scoss, ‘lap,’ is allied). Compare Gothic skauts, masculine, ‘border, hem of a garment,’ Old Icelandic skaut, neuter, ‘tuft, corner, end, skirt,’ Anglo-Saxon sčeát, ‘corner, wedge, bosom’ (whence Anglo-Saxon sčŷte, ‘cloth,’ English sheet), Dutch schoot; allied to the root skū̆t, ‘to shoot.’ It is uncertain whether the original sense was a descending or hanging part of the dress or a projecting corner of the land, or whether (as in the similar cases of Franse and Gehren) the skirt was so named from its resemblance to a missile?. See Schote (2).