An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Ziffer

by Friedrich Kluge

Ziffer, feminine, ‘figure, numeral, cipher,’ from late Middle High German (rare), zifer, ziffer, feminine; corresponding to Dutch cijfer, English cipher, French chiffre, ‘cipher, secret characters,’ Italian cifra, ‘secret characters.’ Originally ‘cipher, nought’; adopted in the European languages from Arabic çafar, ‘nought,’ along with the Arabic notation.