An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Senne

by Friedrich Kluge

Senne, m., ‘cowherd,’ ModHG. only, MidHG. *senne is not recorded, but in late MidHG. (rarely), sęnnœ̂re, ‘herdsman, cowherd.’ The antiquity of the ModHG. term is attested, however, by OHG. sęnno, m., ‘herdsman,’ as well as by late MidHG. sęnne, ‘pasture on the Alps.’ On account of the restriction of the cognates to UpG. the origin of the word is not quite certain; it is usually connected with Sahne (Goth. *sana, ‘cream,’ *sanja, ‘cowherd’).