An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Schachtel

by Friedrich Kluge

Schachtel, f., ‘box, bandbox,’ from the equiv. late MidHG. schahtel, f., which, with its equally late variant schatel, is borrowed from Ital. scatola, ‘bandbox, box.’ The change of the simple t into cht in MidHG. and ModHG. has not yet been explained; comp., however, MidHG. schahtelân and schatelan for kastelân. — Schatulle is a recent loan-word with the same signification. Schachtel, ‘old woman,’ occurs even in late MidHG., in which schahtel also means ‘feminal.’ The latter looks a LG. loan-word for HG. schaftel, from Schaft.