An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Klette
Klette, feminine, ‘bur,’ from the equivalent Middle High German klëtte, feminine, with the variant klëte; Old High German chlëtto, masculine, chlëtta, feminine (also Old High German chlëta). Anglo-Saxon cliþe, clâte, feminine, English clotbur, ‘large bur’; further from the root klī̆b, ‘to cleave (to), adhere’ (compare kleben), the equivalent Old High German chlîba, Anglo-Saxon clîfe, Middle English clîve, as well as Middle Dutch klijve, Middle Low German klîve; finally also Modern Dutch klis, feminine, ‘bur.’ Old High German chlëtta is the most closely connected with Anglo-Saxon cliþe. It has been compared with Latin glis (ss) as a cognate. From the German word, Old French gleton, gletteron, and Modern French glouteron are derived. Compare also the next word.