An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Sinn

by Friedrich Kluge

Sinn, masculine, ‘sense, meaning, import,’ from the equivalent Middle High German and Old High German sin (nn), masculine; compare Old Frisian sin. It cannot be borrowed from Latin sensus, since a Middle High German and Modern High German strong verb sinnen co-exists with the substantive. The corresponding Old High German verb, sinnan signifies only ‘to travel, strive, go’; which certainly suggests that Middle High German and Modern High German sinnen derived its meaning from Old High German sin, ‘sensus.’ The relation of Old High German sin, ‘senses,’ to sinnan, ‘to set out, go in any direction,’ may be inferred from its early history. The root of Old High German sinnan is the same as that of Teutonic sinþo-, ‘way, journey’ (compare Gesinde), sinnan being based on a pre-historic sentno-. In Latin sentire, ‘to feel,’ the Aryan root sent (compare Irish sét, ‘way’) has an abstract meaning (see sehen), which is also shared by Old High German sinno-. From the Old High German word the equivalent Romance cognate Italian senno is derived.