An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Spott

by Friedrich Kluge

Spott, m., ‘mockery, banter, scorn, laughing-stock,’ from MidHG. and OHG. spot (gen. spottes), m., ‘mockery, scorn, disgrace’; its early occurrence in OHG. shows that it is a genuine HG. word. It is remarkable that the LG. dials. have a medial tt in the corresponding words; comp. Du. spot, OIc. spott, n., ‘mockery.’ ModHG. and MidHG. spotten, ‘to mock, scoff at,’ OHG. spottôn, equiv. to Du. spotten and OIc spotta. The cognates seem to imply a Goth. *spuþþôn (for Goth. þþ, equiv. to HG. tt, see Schmiede), whose origin cannot be discovered. Lat. spûtum is scarcely allied.