elch

From Middle High German elch, elhe, from Old High German elaho, elho, elcho (hapax elach), from Proto-West Germanic *elh(ō), from Proto-Germanic *elhaz. In Early Modern German, the word had been entirely replaced with Elen (see there). In the late 18th century, the form Elk was borrowed from English elk, principally for the North American moose (then still thus called). This subsequently triggered renewed use of Elch, be it based on Middle High German or on East Prussian dialects where the word