An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Bürge

by Friedrich Kluge

Bürge, masculine, ‘surety, bail,’ from the equivalent Middle High German bürge, Old High German burigo, masculine. We may assume a Goth *baúrgia, which would, however, be distinct from baúrgja, ‘citizen.’ Old Icelandic á-byrgjast, ‘to become bail.’ Allied to borgen; the root is pre-Teutonic bhergh, with the original sense ‘to take care of, heed.’