An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Spiel

by Friedrich Kluge

Spiel, neuter, ‘play, game, sport,’ from the equivalent Middle High German and Old High German spil (genitive spiles), neuter, ‘jest, pastime, pleasure’; allied to spielen, ‘to play, sport, gamble,’ Middle High German spiln, Old High German spilôn, weak verb, ‘to amuse oneself’; compare Dutch spelen, Anglo-Saxon spilian, Old Icelandic spila, ‘to play.’ There are no undoubted cognates in the non-Teutonic languages.