An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Fliege

by Friedrich Kluge

Fliege, feminine, ‘fly, fluke (of an anchor),’ from the equivalent Middle High German fliege, Old High German flioga, feminine; compare Dutch vlieg, Anglo-Saxon fleóge, equivalent to English fly, which is based upon Anglo-Saxon flŷge, Old High German fliuga, Middle High German fliuge, ‘fly’; hence a mutated form (Gothic *fliugjô), besides an unmutated Gothic *fliugô; in Old Icelandic with a different gradation fluga, feminine, ‘fly, moth’; akin to fliegen (Gothic *fliugan). For an older term for ‘fly’ see under Mücke.