An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Rasse

by Friedrich Kluge

Rasse, feminine, ‘race, breed,’ borrowed in the 18th century from French race, which is recorded as early as the 16th century, at which period the English word race was also borrowed; the French term and its Romance cognates (Italian razza is met with even in the 14th century) are derived from Old High German reitza, reiȥȥa, feminine, ‘line.’