An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Joch

by Friedrich Kluge

Joch, n., ‘yoke, ridge of mountains,’ from the equiv. MidHG. joch. OHG. joh(hh), n., ‘yoke, ridge of mountains, acre’; corresponding to Goth. juk, n., ‘yoke of oxen,’ OIc. ok, AS. geoc, E. yoke, Du. juk; a common Aryan word formed from the Aryan root yug, ‘to fasten’; comp. Sans. yugá, ‘yoke, team’ (allied to the root yuj, ‘to put to’), Gr. ζυγόν from ξεύγνυμ, Lat. jugum, from jungere, Lith. jùngus, OSlov. igo (from *jŭgo); comp. Jauchert. The str. root verb (Teut. root juk) has become obsolete in the whole Teut. root.