Earliest attestation of the Germanic word in the [[6th century]] [[Codex Argenteus]] ([[Gospel of Matthew|Mt]] 5:9)]]
The word ''God'' continues [[Old English]]/[[Germanic languages|Germanic]] ''god'' (''guþ, gudis'' in [[Gothic]], ''Gott'' in modern [[German language|German]]). The original meaning and [[etymology]] of the Germanic word ''god'' have been hotly disputed, though most agree to a reconstructed [[Proto-Indo-European]] form ''*ǵhutóm'', which is a passive perfect participle from the root ''*ǵhu-'', which likely meant "[[libation]]", "[[sacrifice]]". Compare:-