An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Schnabel

by Friedrich Kluge

Schnabel, masculine, ‘beak, bill,’ from the equivalent Middle High German snabel, masculine, Old High German snabul, masculine; corresponding to Dutch snavel, ‘beak, trunk’ (of an elephant), sneb, ‘beak,’ Old Frisian snavel, ‘mouth.’ To these, from the relation of Malz to schmelzen (Aryan root meld, smeld), the following are also allied — Dutch neb, feminine, ‘beak,’ English nib, Anglo-Saxon nębb, ‘beak, face,’ Old Icelandic nef, neuter, ‘nose’ (as well as ‘sharp-scented’). From Teutonic are derived the cognates of Italian niffo, ‘snout, trunk.’ Teutonic snabja-, snabala- (from an Aryan root snap, nap), agrees with Lithuanian snápas, ‘beak.’ Compare schnappen, Schnepfe, and Schneppe.