How did Latin loanwords enter Germanic languages?

Latin loanwords entered the Germanic languages primarily through long-standing commercial and cultural contacts between Germanic peoples and the Roman Empire.12

Although the Roman frontier was heavily fortified, it did not prevent trade or travel. Beginning around 50 ce, Germanic tribes along the Rhine engaged in trade, adopting Roman currency and luxury goods such as fine pottery, glass, and metalwork in exchange for raw materials like amber, leather, and enslaved people. These interactions facilitated the adoption of Roman cultural features, including improved farming techniques and the use of the potter’s wheel.12

In the context of language, these borrowed Latin terms in Germanic languages typically relate to trade and often reflect archaic forms. While these contacts were essential for the development of Germanic vocabulary, the relationship was complex; Germanic tribesmen also served in Roman armies, and later, Germanic successor states were shaped by a fusion of their own military power and the administrative expertise of Roman provincial aristocrats.3142