An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Obst

by Friedrich Kluge

Obst, neuter, with an excrescent dental as in Axt, Mond, niemand, Palast, Papst; from the equivalent Middle High German obeȥ, Old High German obaȥ, neuter, ‘fruit.’ It is a West Teutonic word; compare Dutch ooft, Anglo-Saxon ofet (Gothic *ubat is wanting, in Old Icelandic alden). It is uncertain whether Gothic *ubat is akin to ober, über, root up-, thus signifying ‘what is above.’