Beute Bedford MW Umbau-wagen

[maple_leaf_eh]

I understand some German, but was curious about a more thorough translation. The word "Beute" I recognize as "Trophy" or "Captured" in the context of German reissue of captured vehicles. But Google Translate says, "Beute" is "booty" or "loot". I wonder if this isn't the word origin of that fine old fashioned English word for something taken in battle as a prize?

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by maple_leaf_eh

I understand some German, but was curious about a more thorough translation. The word "Beute" I recognize as "Trophy" or "Captured" in the context of German reissue of captured vehicles. But Google Translate says, "Beute" is "booty" or "loot". I wonder if this isn't the word origin of that fine old fashioned English word for something taken in battle as a prize?

Beute means "die Dinge, die sich jemand illegal oder mit Gewalt nimmt", in English: goods which have been taken illegally or with force. Beute fahrzeug is a word used for captured vehicles and equipment, which the German army had to rely on heavily during WW2. These were spoils of war, not legally obtained of course.

As for the origin of booty, I found:

booty (n.)

mid-15c., bottyne "plunder taken from an enemy in war," from Old French butin "booty" (14c.), from a Germanic source akin to Middle Low German bute "exchange." Influenced in form and sense (toward "profit, gain," whether taken by force or not) by boot (n.2) and in form by nouns ending in -y.