An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Brunft

by Friedrich Kluge

Brunft, feminine, ‘rutting-time,’ from Middle High German brunft, feminine, ‘fire, heat, rutting season of deer, cry.’ The Middle High German brunft is of dual origin; in the sense of ‘heat’ it belongs to brennen, Brand. Brunft, ‘the rutting season of deer,’ was rightly connected, as early as Lessing, with brummen, since it “indicates the impulse of certain animals to copulation, that is to say, of those that roar or bellow in the act; ignorance and negligence have transformed this word into Brunft” (Lessing).