From Middle High German genoue, genouwe, geneuwe (“narrow, close, exact”), from ge- + nou(we) (“narrow, close, exact”), from Old High German *hnouw (“narrow, close”), from Proto-Germanic *hnawwaz. Cognate with Middle Low German nouwe, nau (“narrow, brief, exact”), Dutch nauw (“narrow, close”), Old English hnēaw (“niggardly, miserly, stingy”), Old Norse hnøggr (“niggardly, stingy, scant”).

From Middle High German genoue, genouwe, geneuwe (“narrow, close, exact”), from ge- + nou(we) (“narrow, close, exact”), from Old High German *hnouw (“narrow, close”), from Proto-Germanic *hnawwaz. Cognate with Middle Low German nouwe, nau (“narrow, brief, exact”), Dutch nauw (“narrow, close”), Old English hnēaw (“niggardly, miserly, stingy”), Old Norse hnøggr (“niggardly, stingy, scant”).