An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Fleck

by Friedrich Kluge

Fleck, Flecken, m., n., with many senses which are historically the same, ‘spot, stain, patch,’ from MidHG. vlëc, vlëcke, m., ‘piece of stuff, patch, rag, piece of land, place, spot, differently coloured spot, stain, blemish,’ OHG. flëc, flëccho; Du. vlek, f., ‘spot of dirt,’ vlek, n., ‘village’; Goth. *flikka- or *flikkan- (or rather *þl-) is wanting; comp. OIc. flekkr (gen. plur. flekkja), m., ‘a fleck, spot, stain,’ as well as flík, f., ‘rag, piece of stuff.’ Its connection with Scand. flikke, AS. flicce, E. flitch, is dubious. See flicken.