From Proto-Germanic*gunþiz, from Proto-Indo-European*gʷʰéntis(“killing, blow”), from *gʷʰen-(“hit, drive”). Cognate with Old Saxon gūdea, Old High German gund- (in gundfano(“war-flag”)), Old Norse guðr, gunnr. The Indo-European root is also the source of Latin defendere and offendere, Proto-Slavic *gъnati- (Old Church Slavonic гънати(gŭnati), Russian гнать(gnatʹ)), Avestan 𐬘𐬀𐬌𐬥𐬙𐬌(jainti, “to kill”), Sanskrit हन्ति(hanti, “to slay”), Lithuanian giñti as well as Old Irish gonaid.