An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Gemse

by Friedrich Kluge

Gemse, f., ‘chamois,’ from the equiv. MidHG. gęmeȥe, gamȥ, OHG. *gamuȥ (gamȥ), m.; although a corresponding word is wanting in the other Teut. languages, there is no sufficient reason for regarding OHG. *gamiȥa, f., as borrowed (formed like OHG. hiruȥ, see Hirsch; AS. ganot, ‘waterfowl’; MidHG. krebeȥ, see Krebs). The Romance cognates (Ital. camozza, Fr. chamois) which are equiv. in sound tell rather in favour of their own foreign origin than that of the G. word (in Lat. the term was rupicapra). Perhaps Span. and Port. gamo, ‘stag,’ is based upon a Goth. *gama, allied to Gemse (E. game has probably no connection with the word?).