An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/bloß

by Friedrich Kluge

bloß, adj., ‘bare, destitute, mere,’ from MidHG. blôȥ. ‘exposed, naked’; it corresponds to MidLG. and MidDu. bloot, ‘bare,’ AS. bleát, ‘poor, wretched’ (OIc. blautr, ‘soft, fresh, tender,’ as well as OHG. blôȥ, ‘proud,’ have a divergent meaning). On account of the UpG. and LG. blutt (dial.), Swed. blott, ‘unfledged, uncovered, unclad,’ the origin of Teut. blauto- ‘mere,’ is dubious. Perhaps blöde is a cognate.