An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/ge-

by Friedrich Kluge

ge-, a proclitic prefix, from Middle High German ge-, Old High German gi, ga- (an accented prefix ga- in noun compounds is very rare in Old High German and Middle High German); the primary idea is ‘collectivity, completeness’; compare Gothic ga-, Anglo-Saxon ge- (in English i only in handiwork, handicraft, Anglo-Saxon hondgeweorc, hondgecrœft; compare also English enough, from Anglo-Saxon genôh, under genug). The prefix is probably allied to Latin con-; cum; compare gehen, glauben, gleich, Glied, &c.