An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Scherbe
Scherbe, feminine, ‘fragment, sherd, flowerpot,’ from Middle High German schërbe, schirbe, Old High German scirbi, feminine and neuter, ‘sherd, fragment, earthenware pot’; compare Dutch scherf, feminine, ‘sherd’; a derivative of pre-Teutonic skerpo-; compare Old Slovenian črěpŭ, ‘sherd,’ Lettic schkirpta, ‘notch,’ schkérpele, ‘splinter of wood.’ Akin to Scherflein?.