An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Sichel

by Friedrich Kluge

Sichel, feminine, ‘sickle,’ from the equivalent Middle High German sichel, Old High German sihhila, feminine; corresponding to Dutch zikkel, Anglo-Saxon sicol, English sickle. It is perhaps borrowed from Latin secula (Italian segolo, ‘bill, hedging bill’). On account of the agreement of the English with the German term, it must have been introduced in the 5th century, which date also explains the permutation of Latin k to High German ch. On the other hand, Sichel and its cognates may be regarded as genuine Teutonic words (Teutonic sikilô-); the German word looks like a diminutive of Modern High German Sech, which points to Teutonic sëko-, and more remotely to the Aryan root seg, sok (see Sense).