An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Lefze

by Friedrich Kluge

Lefze, f., ‘lip,’ from the equiv. MidHG. lëfs, lëfse, f. and m., OHG. lëfs, m., an UpG. term (in Suab. lengthened to läfzg) for the properly LG. Lippe. Both terms are primit. allied; Lippe may come from Teut. *lipjô, f., and Lefze (with the OHG. variant lëffur, OSax. lëpur), from primit. Teut. lepas, gen. lepazis, or lefs, gen. lefsis (with fs for ps); comp. Goth. ahs, gen. ahsis, ‘ear (of corn ),’ with OHG. ahir, AS. eár (from *eahor), E. ear. For the further cognates comp. under Lippe. Goth. and Scand. have a totally different term for ‘lip’; Goth. waírilô (AS. wëler), OIc. vǫrr, f.