An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Hecke

by Friedrich Kluge

Hecke (1.), feminine, ‘hedge,’ from Middle High German hęcke, feminine, Old High German hęcka, hęgga, feminine, ‘hedge,’ the latter from hagjô-, whence also Anglo-Saxon heęg, feminine, Middle English hegge, English hedge; Anglo-Saxon also hege, masculine, ‘hedge' (compare English haybote, ‘an allowance of wood for repairing fences'). Of the same origin as the cognates mentioned under Hag.

Hecke (2.). feminine, ‘the act of breeding,’ Modern High German simply, probably neither identical nor even cognate with Hecke (1), ‘hedge,’ because English hedge, ‘Hecke (1),’ and hatch, ‘Hecke (2).’ are totally distinct; the former is Middle English hegge (Anglo-Saxon hęcg, feminine ’), the latter Middle English hacche (Anglo-Saxon *hœcce?); English hatch, ‘brood, incubation.’ Middle High German has a weak verb, hęcken, ‘to propagate’ (of birds), Middle English hacchen, English to hatch; Old High German hęgidruosa, Middle High German hęgedruose, feminine, ‘testicle,’ may be cognate (g in Anglo-Saxon hagan, ‘gignalia,’ in comparison with the earlier kk in Middle English hacche, is conceivable), and hence too Middle High German hagen, masculine, ‘bull kept for breeding,’ earlier Modern High German Hacksch, ‘boar kept for breeding.’ The cognates seem to indicate a Teutonic root hag, hakk, ‘to propagate.’