An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/keuchen

by Friedrich Kluge

keuchen, vb., ‘to gasp,’ from MidHG. kûchen, ‘to breathe’; MidHG. kîchen, ‘to breathe with difficulty, gasp,’ has also been absorbed in the ModHG. vb. Corresponding to Du. kugchen, ‘to cough,’ from MidDu. kuchen, AS. cohhettan, MidE. coughen, E. to cough. — MidHG. kîchen is based on a Teut. root kik, which appears in LG., Du., and E., in a nasalised form; LG. (Holstein) kinghosten, Du. kinkhoest, m., E. chincough (for chinkcough), ‘whooping-cough’; allied to Swed. kikhosta, Dan. kighoste, AS. čincung.