An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Meißel

by Friedrich Kluge

Meißel, masculine, ‘chisel,’ from Middle High German meiȥel, Old High German meiȥil, masculine, ‘chisel, tool for dressing and chipping’; allied to Old High German meiȥan, Middle High German meiȥen, ‘to hew, cut,’ Gothic maitan, ‘to hew, hew off’; thus too Old Icelandic meitell, masculine, ‘chisel,’ allied to meita, ‘to cut.’ All these belong to a Teutonic root mat, ‘to hew,’ which has been connected with the Teutonic root mat, ‘to hew,’ in Metze (Steinmetze). Compare also English mattock.