An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Laube

by Friedrich Kluge

Laube, f., ‘arbour, bower,’ from MidHG. loube (löube), f., ‘porch, market, court of justice, gallery round the upper storey of a house,’ OHG. louba (louppea), f., ‘penthouse, hall, front building’ (the mutated läube is met with in MidG. dials.; comp. LG. löve). The OIc. lopt, ‘upper storey, balcony’ (whence E. loft), is probably connected with this word. The ModHG. meaning, ‘arbour,’ wanting in MidHG. and OHG., is due to the term being popularly connected with Laub. The OHG. word passed in the form of MidLat. into Rom. (Ital. loggia, Fr. loge, ‘hut, tent, tier of boxes’).