An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/fliegen

by Friedrich Kluge

fliegen, verb, from the equivalent Middle High German vliegen, Old High German fliogan, ‘to fly’; compare Dutch vliegen, Anglo-Saxon fleógan (3rd singular flŷhþ), English to fly, Old Icelandic fljúga; the common Teutonic term for ‘to fly’; Gothic *fliugan may be inferred from the factitive flaugjan, ‘to keep on flying.’ Fliegen is in no wise connected with fliehen, as is proved by the initial sound of the root in Gothic þliuhan, ‘to flee,’ compared with usflaugjan; see Fliege, Vogel. Teutonic root fliug, from pre-Teutonic pleugh, plugh; akin to Latin plûma for plûhma?. For an older root extending beyond Teutonic see under Feder.