An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Pate

by Friedrich Kluge

Pate, masculine, from the equivalent Middle High German pate (bate), masculine, ‘godfather, godmother,’ from Latin pater, the declension being changed to the weak masculine; Latin pater spiritualis, ‘sponsor,’ mostly Middle Latin patrînus, whence Italian patrino, French parrain (Dutch peet, petekind). Middle High German also pfętter, ‘sponsor’ and ‘child to be baptised,’ from patrînus, whence Modern High German dialectic Pfetter, Petter. The initial pf may be due to its having been borrowed at an early period (similarly Dutch meter, ‘godmother,’ is borrowed from Latin matrîna). In Suabian dête, masculine, and dôte, feminine, are chiefly used for Pate (dêtle, ‘godchild’), in Bavarian Tott, masculine and feminine. With regard to Upper German Gotte, Götti, see under Gote.