An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Topf

by Friedrich Kluge

Topf, masculine, ‘pot,’ from the equivalent Middle High German topf (with the diminutive variant tüpfen), masculine; this word, which is rare in Middle High German, is wanting in Old High German. The primitively word is unknown to Upper German (Hafen being used), yet Alemannian has preserved dipfi, düpfi, ‘iron pot with three legs,’ Hessian dippen, ‘pot’ (Luther Töpfen); in Dutch and English the divergent form pot occurs. Middle High German topf, ‘olla,’ is probably more closely related to Middle High German topf, topfe, Old High German topf, tof (topfo), ‘top’ (toy), so too Modern High German dialectic Topf, ‘top’ (toy); Anglo-Saxon and English top is exceptional. The word is based on the Teutonic root dup, ‘to be deep, hollow’ (see tief); Topf, literally ‘that which has been hollowed out.’