An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Zotte

by Friedrich Kluge

Zotte (1.), Zottel, f., ‘lock, tuft, tangle,’ from MidHG. zote, zotte, m. and f., ‘tuft of hair,’ OHG. zotta, zata, zota, f., zotto, m., ‘mane, comb (of birds), tuft.’ MidHG. zotte is normally permutated from toddôn-; comp. OIc. todde, m., ‘tuft, bit, tod (weight for wool),’ E. tod, Du. todde, ‘rags, tatters’; also Dan. tot, ‘tuft of hair, tangle,’ Du. toot, ‘hair-net’?. Nothing more definite can be ascertained concerning the early history of the word. From Ger. are derived the Ital. words zazza, zázzera, ‘long hair,’ and tattera, ‘rubbish, trash’ (perhaps also Ital. zatter, zattera, Span. zata, zatara, ‘raft.’

Zotte (2.), f., dial., ‘spout of a vessel,’ equiv. to Du. tuit, ‘pipe’ (see Düte).