An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Kotze

by Friedrich Kluge

Kotze, f., ‘coarse cloth,’ from MidHG. kotze, m., ‘coarse, shaggy woollen stuff, cover or garment made of it,’ OHG. chozzo, m., chozza, f.; comp. OSax. cot (tt) ‘woollen cloak, coat’; a specifically G. word, wanting in Goth., Scand., and E. The Rom. words mentioned under Kot (1) — Fr. cotte, ‘petticoat,’ Ital. cotta — seem to have been borrowed from G., since in OHG. other words belong to the same class, OHG. umbîchuzzi, ‘upper garment,’ umbichuzzen, vb., ‘amicire.’ On the assumption that Kotze is a genuine Teut. word, some have connected it with Gr. βεῦδος (from the root gud), ‘woman's dress.’ MidE. cote, E. coat are certainly of Rom. origin, OFr. cote, MidLat. cotta. Comp. Kutte.