From Middle High German pfloc (late 14th century). Related with Middle Low German plügge (1375, or plugge), also pluck, plock (ca. 1420), Dutch plug (1511 as plugghe, also plogge), all “peg, wooden nail, pin, plug." Probably from the same ultimate source as English plug.
Further origin uncertain. The word shows semantic relations with a nominal derivative of Proto-Germanic *plukkijaną (“to pluck”, phlucke, phlocke, pluck, plok), and at least in High German also with the descendant of *blukką (“block”). However, these relations are in all likelihood secondary. Within High German, the word appears to have been restricted chiefly to the north-east (East Central German and surroundings); therefore it has been argued to be a Low German borrowing in the colonial regions, but the late attestations in all languages make it hard to prove this. English plug and similar Scandinavian forms are usually considered borrowings.
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Pflock m (strong, genitive Pflockes or Pflocks, plural Pflöcke)