From Middle English atter, ater, from Old English āttor, ǣttor, ātor, from Proto-West Germanic *ait(t)r, from Proto-Germanic *aitrą, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eyd-, *h₂oyd-.
Cognate with Scots attir ("corrupt matter, pus"), Scots atter, etter, Shetlandic eter, Saterland Frisian Atter ("pus"), Dutch etter ("pus"), German Eiter ("poison, pus"), Danish edder, ædder, Swedish etter ("poison, venom, virulence"), Norwegian eiter ("venom"), Icelandic eitur ("poison").
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