An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Scharlach

by Friedrich Kluge

Scharlach, m., ‘scarlet,’ from the equiv. MidHG. scharlach, scharlachen, n., which is, as is shown by Du. scharlaken, a corruption of MidHG. scharlât, the word being thus connected with Laken (MidHG. lachen, ‘cloth’); scharlât (comp. E. scarlet, MidE. scarlat) is formed from OFr. escarlate (ModFr. écarlate), ‘scarlet stuff.’ Comp. MidLat. scarlatum, Ital. scarlatto. The ultimate source of the word is Oriental; comp. Pers. sakirlât (Turk. iskerlet).