An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Striegel

by Friedrich Kluge

Striegel, masculine, ‘currycomb,’ from the equivalent Middle High German strigel, Old High German strigil, masculine; to this striegeln, ‘to comb,’ from the equivalent Middle High German strigelen, is allied. The word is borrowed from Latin strĭgĭlis, ‘scraper (used by bathers), flesh-brush’ (Italian stregghia, streglia, French étrille, ‘currycomb’). It is scarcely related directly to streichen (Aryan root strik, strig).