An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Gant

by Friedrich Kluge

Gant, feminine, ‘auction, bankruptcy,’ an Upper German word (unknown to the Suabian dialectic), from Middle High German gant, feminine, ‘sale to the highest bidders, auction.’ Not from French gant, ‘glove.’ It is not true that “affixing a glove (in a symbolical way) has given rise to the terms Gant and Vergantung, denoting a distress on real property.” The term is more-probably derived from Provençal l'encant, Modern French l'encan, ‘auction’ (Italian incanto, from Latin in quantum), whence English cant, ‘auction.’