An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Motte

by Friedrich Kluge

Motte, f., from the equiv. late MidHG. matte, f., ‘moth’ (tt originated in Goth. and OTeut. þþ, as in Fittich, Latte, and spotten). Goth. *muþþô is wanting; comp. AS. moþþe, f., MidE. moþþe, E. moth, Du. mot (t for tt from þþ), ‘moth’; also the curious variants, MidHG. matte, f. (Goth. *maþþa), AS. mohþe, f., MidE. moughþe, ‘moth’ (OIc. motte, m.. ‘moth,’ with the same permutation of þþ to tt as in Du.). Perhaps the cognates discussed under Made are akin.