An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Streifen

by Friedrich Kluge

Streifen, masculine, ‘stripe, streak,’ from late Middle High German streif, masculine, ‘expedition,’ allied to Middle High German streifen (streipfen), weak verb, ‘to glide, march, roam’; compare Dutch strippen, ‘to strip off leaves’ (streep, ‘stripe, streak, stroke’). Further cognates are wanting.