An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Acker

by Friedrich Kluge

Acker, m., ‘field, arable land,’ from the equiv. MidHG. acker, OHG. acchar (ahhar), m.; a common Teut. and OAryan word corresponding to Goth. akrs, m., AS. œcer, E. acre (aker), Du. akker, OSax. akkar. Teut. *akra-z, m., from pre-Teut. agro-s; comp. Sans. ájra-s, m., ‘pasture-ground, plain, common,’ Gr. ἀγρός, Lat. ager (stem agro-), ‘field.’ It is certainly connected with the Ind. root aj, ‘to drive' (comp. Trift, allied to treiben), Lat. ago, Gr. ἄγω, to which in OIc. aka, ‘to drive,’ was allied. “Thus âjra- signifies in the widest sense ‘field and common,’ orig. as ‘pasture-land,’ the greatest part of which, when tillage supplanted the rearing of cattle, was used for crops.” The transition in meaning was, probably, completed on the migration of the Western Aryans to Europe; moreover, the root ar, ‘to plough, till,’ is West Aryan; comp. Gr. ἀρόω, Lat. arare, Goth. arjan, OHG. erian, OBulg. orati, ‘to plough.’ See Art.