An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Latwerge

by Friedrich Kluge

Latwerge, ‘electuary, confection,’ from the equiv. MidHG. latwërge, laiwêrje, latwârje, f.; the t as in Lattich represents ct (assimilated tt); lactuárium has a in the unaccented first syllable for e, as in Lafritze. This foreign term is based on the equiv. MidLat. electuarium, which sometimes in MidHG. preserves its prim. form, electuârje, lectquerje. The MidLat. word, which originated in Gr. ἐκλεικτόν, ἔκλειγμα, ‘medicine that dissolves in the mouth,’ belongs to the medical art of the Middle Ages, which was learned from the Greeks (comp. also Lafrige, Büchse, Arzt, &c.), and was introduced into G. through a Rom. medium — Ital. lattovaro, Fr. électuaire (whence E. electuary).