An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Streit

by Friedrich Kluge

Streit, masculine, ‘dispute, quarrel, strife,’ from the equivalent Middle High German and Old High German strît, masculine; allied to Modern High German streiten, Middle High German strîten, Old High German strîtan, strong verb, ‘to quarrel, fight.’ Old High German einstrîti, ‘stubborn,’ Old Saxon strîd, ‘zeal,’ and Old Icelandic strîðr, ‘stubborn, severe, strong,’ show that Streit has gone through the same development of meanings as Krieg (literally ‘exertion’); Old Icelandic strîð, neuter, ‘pain, grief, oppression,’ is, however, remarkable (yet compare the cognates of Modern High German tapfer). Pre-historic cognates of the Teutonic root strîd (for strî’, srî?) are wanting; yet compare Sanscrit sridh, ‘enemy.’