From a dialectal variant, from Middle Low German kāk (“stake, rod”), Proto-Germanic *kōpǭ (“the prow of a sleigh”), ultimately related to the root of Kegel.
Compare Old Norse kafl, kafli (“an elongated, round piece of wood”), Old Norse kefli (“a roll; scroll”), Middle Low German kavele (“cut wood used for lots”), dialectal German Kabel (“loose parts; odds and ends”).
Kufe f (genitive Kufe, plural Kufen)
From Middle High German kuofe (also küefe), from Old High German kuofa, of obscure origin. Perhaps from Proto-West Germanic *kōpā, *kōpu, from Late Latin *cō̆pa, a variant of Latin cūpa (“tub, vat, cask”), whence also Old Saxon kōpa, Middle Low German kôpe (“vat, tub, barrel”). Merged with Middle High German kūfe, from Old High German kūfa, from Proto-West Germanic *kūpu, a parallel borrowing of Latin cūpa, which otherwise would have yielded modern German *Kaufe. Compare also to German Low German Kuup (“vat, tub, bucket”), Middle Dutch kûpe (modern Dutch kuip (“tub”)), Old English cȳpa (“basket”), modern English kipe.
Kufe f (genitive Kufe, plural Kufen)