An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Messer

by Friedrich Kluge

Messer, n., from the equiv. MidHG. męȥȥer, ‘knife.’ The word has undergone strange transformations; it is an abbreviation of męȥȥeres, OHG. męȥȥiras, męȥȥirahs, n., the etymology of which had grown obscure; the variants maȥ-sahs, męȥȥi-sahs, show, however, that męȥȥirahs is a compound meaning ‘food-sword.’ With regard to Goth. mats, n., OHG. maȥ, n., AS. męte, m., E. meat, comp. Mus and Mettwurst. OHG. sahs, AS. seax, n., ‘sword, knife,’ whence the name Saxons, is usually connected with Lat. saxum, because knives were orig. made of stone. The OHG. compound męȥȥi-rahs shows the change of medial s (z) to r. Goth. *matisahs is also indicated by OSax. męzas for *mętsahs, Du. and LG. mes, AS. męte-seax, ‘food-knife, dagger.’