An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/kirre

by Friedrich Kluge

kirre, adjective, ‘tractable,’ from Middle High German kürre, Middle German kurre, kirre, adjective, ‘tame, mild’; derived, by suppressing the w, from earlier Old High German *churri, *quirri; compare Gothic qaírrus, ‘meek,’ Old Icelandic kvirr, kyrr, adjective, ‘still, quiet.’ Perhaps based on the Teutonic root gër appearing in Modern High German Köder; yet Lithuanian gurti, ‘to grow weak, relax,’ gurus, ‘crumbling,’ may also be allied.