An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Haus

by Friedrich Kluge

Haus, neuter, ‘house, household,’ from Middle High German and Old High German hûs, neuter, which has the same sound in all Old Teutonic dialects; Modern Dutch huis, English house (to which husband, hussy, and hustings, are allied). Gothic *hus is found only once in gudhûs, ‘temple,’ literally ‘God's house' (for which Gothic razn is used; compare Rast), but may be also inferred from the borrowed term, Old Slovenian chyzŭ, ‘house.’ In the other Teutonic dialects it is the prevalent term, corresponding to German Haus. Probably cognate with Hütte, and like this term allied to a Teutonic root hū̆d, ‘to hide’ (Anglo-Saxon hŷdan, English to hide); hûsa- for hûssa-, hûþta-, literally ‘that which hides’?. See further under Hütte. Others connect Gothic hûs with Gothic huz-ds, ‘refuge,’ and Latin custos. In this case too the primary sense assigned would hold good.