An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Achsel

by Friedrich Kluge

Achsel, feminine, ‘shoulder,’ from the equivalent Middle High German ahsel, Old High German ahsala, feminine; compare Anglo-Saxon eaxl, Old Icelandic ǫxl, feminine, ‘shoulder'; Gothic *ahsla, feminine, is wanting. It is probable that the Teutonic word is connected with the Old Aryan Achse; Latin axilla (Olr. oxal), ‘arm-pit,’ and âla, ‘arm-pit, wing,’ are also cognate with it. In Old Teutonic, Gothic *ahsla (Aryan *akslâ) has a still wider family, since forms with Teutonic ô, Aryan â in the stem belong to it; compare Anglo-Saxon ôxn, ôcusla, ‘arm-pit,’ and Old High German wohsana, Middle High German üehse, wohse, feminine, ‘arm-pit,'Du. oksel,’ shoulder.’