An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Ernte

by Friedrich Kluge

Ernte, feminine, ‘harvest,’ from the equivalent Middle High German ęrne, feminine, like Modern High German Hüfte, from the equivalent Middle High German hüffe, plural of huf; Middle High German erne (Franconian and Alemannian ärn), a plural used as a singular, is related similarly to Old High German aran, ‘harvest,’ which, like Gothic asans, ‘harvest, autumn,’ is connected with a root as, ‘to work in the fields,’ widely diffused in Old Teutonic. Compare Gothic asneis (Old High German ęsni, Anglo-Saxon ęsne), ‘day-labourer,’ Old Icelandic ǫnn (from *aznu), feminine, ‘work, season for tillage’; akin to Old High German arnôn, ‘to harvest’ (Anglo-Saxon earnian, equivalent to English to earn, Old Icelandic árna?), Middle High German asten, ‘to cultivate.’ Probably Latin annôna (for *asnôna), ‘produce of corn,’ belongs to the Teutonic root as.