An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Schnauze

by Friedrich Kluge

Schnauze, feminine, ‘snout, muzzle, nozzle,’ Modern High German only; an imitation of Low German snûte, Dutch snuit, ‘snout,’ though wrongly influenced in its dental sound perhaps by Middle High German sniutzen, Modern High German schneuzen; compare English snout and the equivalent Middle English snoute. The form with a correctly permutated Middle High German ȥ, equivalent to Modern High German sz, is preserved in Modern High German (dialectic) schnaußen, ‘to snarl, junket, suck.’ For further remarks see schneuzen.