An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Axt

by Friedrich Kluge

Axt, feminine (with a dental added as in Hüfte, Habicht, and Obst, &c.), from the equivalent Middle High German ackes (late Middle High German axt), feminine, Old High German acchus (plural acchussi), feminine, ‘axe.’ It corresponds to Old Saxon accus, Dutch aaks (from akes), Anglo-Saxon œx (from *œcces), English ax, axe, Old Icelandic öx, Gothic aqizi, feminine, ‘axe.’ The Teutonic word is based upon Aryan agésî, or rather agzî (aksî); compare the primary cognate Greek ἀξίνη, ‘axe,’ with which perhaps the equivalent Latin ascia, in case it stands for ac-scia, is connected. Latin acies, ‘sharpness,’ and Greek ἀκή, ‘point,’ as well as Sanscrit açri, ‘edge’ (see Ähre, Ecke), are not allied to Axt.