An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Zucker

by Friedrich Kluge

Zucker, masculine, ‘sugar,’ from the corresponding Middle High German zucker, zuker, masculine (Old High German zucura, once only); compare the corresponding Dutch suiker, Middle English sucre, English sugar, Icelandic sẏkr, Danish sukker, Swedish socker. The word was borrowed from Middle Latin zucara, which is derived in the first instance from Arabic sokkar, assokhar; from the same source the Romance class French sucre and Italian zucchero are obtained. Spanish azúcar was directly adopted from the Arabs, who cultivated the sugarcane in Spain. Compare further Latin saccharum, Greek σάκχαρ, σάκχαρον, Persian schakar, Sanscrit çarkarâ, ‘granulated sugar,’ Prakrit sakkara. The primitive source of the word is probably India.