An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Gemach

by Friedrich Kluge

Gemach, n., ‘chamber, apartment; comfort, rest,’ from MidHG. gemach, m., n., ‘rest, comfort, case, nursing, place where one is nursed, room,’ OHG. gimah(hh), ‘ease, advantage’; the ModHG. meaning is not found until the classical period of MidHG.; the ModHG. adj. gemach, ‘comfortable,’ preserves the earlier meaning, MidHG. gemach, OHG. gimah(hh), ‘comfortable, suitable’; prop., ‘suitable to one another’ (comp. OIc. makr, ‘suitable’; see machen). Akin to gemächlich, MidHG. gemechlîch, OHG. gimahlîhho, adv.