An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Fink

by Friedrich Kluge

Fink, m., ‘finch,’ from the equiv. MidHG. vinke, OHG. fincho, m.; corresponds to Du. vink, AS. finc, E. finch, Swed. fink, Dan. finke, ‘finch’; Goth. *finki-, *finkjan-, are wanting. There is a striking similarity of sound in the Rom. words for ‘finch’ — Ital. pincione, Fr. pinson, to which the E. dialectal forms pink, pinch, ‘finch,’ belong. Yet there is no suspicion that the Teut. word was borrowed; the Teut. class is probably primit. allied to the Rom. word.