An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Erle

by Friedrich Kluge

Erle, feminine, ‘alder,’ from the equivalent Middle High German ęrle, Old High German ęrila, ęlira (to this is allied Modern High German Elritze, ‘minnow,’ Old High German ęrlinc, literally ‘elder fish’?). Compare Low German eller, Dutch els (Modern High German Elsbeere, ‘wild service-berry’), Anglo-Saxon alor, English alder, Old Icelandic ǫlr, elrer, elre; Gothic *alisa (*aluza) appears in Spanish alisa, ‘alder,’ French alize, ‘wild service-berry.’ The change of the originally Old High German ęlira to ęrila is analogous to Gothic waírilôs compared with Anglo-Saxon wëleras, ‘lips’ (see Essig). Cognates of Erle, like those of Buche, Birke, &c., are found in the non-Teutonic languages. Compare Old Slovenian jelĭcha, Latin alnus (for *alsnus), ‘alder.’ Compare Ulme.