An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Korb
Korb, masculine, ‘basket,’ from the equivalent Middle High German korp (b), Old High German chorp, korb (genitive korbes), masculine; compare Dutch korf, masculine, ‘dosser.’ The usual derivation from Latin corbis is opposed by phonetic considerations, and also by the fact that nouns equivalent in meaning but with differently graded forms also occur; according to Modern High German Brett and its gradation Bord (which see), Middle High German krëbe, masculine, ‘basket,’ and hence further Modern High German Krippe may also be connected with Korb (compare too Modern Icelandic karfa, feminine, and körf, feminine, ‘basket’?). It is not impossible that, in addition to an inherited Old Teutonic word, the Latin term was borrowed at a later period; Old High German churib, plural churbî, points perhaps to Latin corbis (English corb); further Modern High German Reff (1) seems to be an old cognate of Latin corbis.