From Proto-Baltic *naudā-, from Proto-Indo-European *newd-, *nowd- (“to seize, to take for use”), from a stem *new-, *now- (“to make a sudden gesture; to wave, to beckon”) with an extra d. The semantic evolution was presumably “(something) taken for use, for benefit” > “property” (including also animals, cattle) > “money” (compare Latin pecus (“sheep, cattle”), pecūnia (“property, money”)). Cognates include Lithuanian naudà (“benefit, validity, utility; property”), Gothic 𐌽𐌹𐌿𐍄𐌰𐌽 (niutan, “to achieve, to get, to enjoy”), Old English notu, nytt, Old High German nuz (“use, utility”) (German nutzen (“to serve, to use”)), Old Norse naut (“cattle”).