An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Gewand

by Friedrich Kluge

Gewand, n., ‘garment, dress, garb,’ from MidHG. gewant(d), n., ‘clothing, armour, dress stuff, material’ (with the last meaning ModHG. Gewandhaus is connected); OHG. only in the late recorded compound, badagiwant(t), ‘vestis mutatoria.’ The older word for ‘Gewand’ was MidHG. gewœte, OHG. giwâti, also OHG. and MidHG. wât. OHG. giwant, appears as ‘turning, winding,’ and upon this sense (‘enveloping’) the meaning ‘clothing’ is based; comp. Lat. toga, from tegere, ‘to cover.’ See winden. —