An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Hecht

by Friedrich Kluge

Hecht, masculine, ‘pike,’ from the equivalent Middle High German hęchet, hęcht, Old High German hęhhit, hahhit, masculine; compare Old Saxon hacud, Anglo-Saxon hacod, hœced, masculine, ‘pike’; a West Teutonic word connected with Old High German and Middle High German hęcken, ‘to pierce,’ mentioned under Hechel. On account of its pointed teeth the pike is called the ‘piercer.’ Compare English pike, French brochet, ‘pike,’ from broche, ‘spit,’ Scandinavian gedda, ‘pike,’ allied to gaddr, ‘prickle.’