Old English (in an earlier sense). Cognate with Old Frisian -nithria, -netheria (in fornithria, fornetheria to spoil), Middle Dutch nederen, nedren, (regional) nideren (Dutch †nederen), Middle Low German nēderen, nedderen, neddergen, Old High German nidaren, nideren, niderren, etc. (Middle High German nideren, nidern, German †niederen, †niedern), Old Icelandic niðra, Norwegian (Nynorsk) nedra, Old Swedish nidhra (Swedish nedra), Danish nedre to bring down, mock from the same Germanic base as nether.