An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Elster

by Friedrich Kluge

Elster, feminine (in Swiss œgeršt, on the Mid-Rhine atzel, Suabian hätz and kœ̂gerš), ‘magpie,’ from the equivalent Middle High German egelster, agelster, aglaster, Old High German aglastra, feminine; corresponding to Old Low German agastria, Low German âgster, Dutch ekster, aakster, ‘magpie.’ Its origin is altogether dubious; -striôn seems here, as sometimes in other cases, to be a feminine suffix. The meaning of the base ag-ul- may have already been ‘magpie,’ as is indicated by Old High German agazza, ‘magpie’ (hence Modern High German atzel for agze-l; compare Blitz, Lenz, Runzel), Anglo-Saxon agu, ‘magpie.’ From the Old Teutonic (type *agatja), Italian gazza, and French agace, are derived.