An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Lorbeer

by Friedrich Kluge

Lorbeer, masculine, ‘laurel,’ from Middle High German lôrber, Old High German lôrbęri, neuter and feminine; literally ‘the berry of the lôrboum’ (Old High German and Middle High German); lôr- in lôr-boum, lôr-beri, is Latin laurus, ‘laurel tree,’ which was probably known in Germany even before the 7th century (compare Italian lauro, French laurier).