An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Gurke

by Friedrich Kluge

Gurke, feminine, ‘cucumber,’ first occurs in early Modern High German; corresponding to Dutch agurkje, English gherkin, Danish agurke; borrowed from Polish ogurek, Bohemian okurka; the latter has been derived from late Greek ἀγγούριον, ‘water-melon,’ and further from Persian ankhara. In Upper German (also in the Wetter and Hessian dialects) Kukumer is used instead of Gurke.