An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Spende

by Friedrich Kluge

Spende, feminine, ‘spending, alms,’ from Middle High German spënde, Old High German spënta, feminine, ‘present, gift, alms.’ Modern High German spenden, verb, ‘bestow as a gift, spend, distribute,’ from Middle High German spënden, Old High German spëntôn, ‘to distribute gratuitously,’ which was borrowed about the 7th century from Middle Latin and Italian spéndere (equivalent to Latin expendere), ‘to spend’ (to which Modern High German Speise belongs); allied to English to spend.