An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Raute

by Friedrich Kluge

Raute (1.), feminine, ‘rue,’ from the equivalent Middle High German rûte, Old High German rûta, feminine. This, like the equivalent Dutch ruit, is usually considered to be borrowed from Latin rûta (compare Italian ruta); yet Anglo-Saxon rûde, ‘rue,’ might prove that the German word is cognate with Latin rûta. English rue, from French rue.

Raute (2.), feminine, ‘quadrangle, square,’ from Middle High German rûte, feminine, ‘lozenge in heraldry, pane’ (hence Dutch ruit, ‘square’). As to Old High German *rûta for *hrûta, equivalent to Aryan krûtâ, klrûtâ, see vier.