GENTA
nafnorðkvenkyn
u, f. a girl; a special Norse word not used in Icel. and not found in old writers earlier than the 14th or 15th century, unless ‘getta’ in the verse in Hálfs S. be the same or kindred word; hvað líðr nú grautnum, genta, Fas. iii. 382, 389, 393 (Eg. Einh. S.), is the only passage where it is used in Icel. writers. In many languages the equivalents are curious, Engl. girl, Swed. flicka, Norse genta (proncd. yenta, vide Asbjörnsen’s Tales), Icel. stúlka, Dan. pige,—all words that baffle etymologers. The Germans seem to have no such word, as mädchen and mädel are plain enough. The Lapps have ganda = a girl, which may be the origin of genta.