An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Wunsch

by Friedrich Kluge

Wunsch, m., ‘wish, desire,’ from MidHG. wunsch, OHG. wunsc, m., ‘wish, desire’ (MidHG. also ‘capacity for doing something extraordinary’); comp. Du. wensch, OIc. ósk (for Goth. *wunska), ‘wish.’ Hence the derivative wünschen, ‘to wish, desire, long for,’ MidHG. wünschen, OHG. wunsken, ‘to wish’; comp. Du. wenschen, AS. wŷsčęan, E. to wish. Sans. vâñchâ (for *vânskâ), ‘wish’ (with the root vâñch, ‘to wish’), is regarded as equiv. to Teut. wunskó, ‘wish.’ The skâ derivative is based on the root wen, ‘to be pleased,’ which appears in wohnen.