An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/sprießen

by Friedrich Kluge

sprießen, verb, ‘to sprout, shoot forth,’ from the equivalent Middle High German sprieȥen (Old High German *sprioȥan?), strong verb; corresponding to Dutch spruiten, Anglo-Saxon sprûtan, and English to sprout. From this Teutonic root sprū̆t, ‘to grow up,’ are derived English to sprit, ‘to sprout’ (Anglo-Saxon spryttan), as well as Anglo-Saxon spreót, ‘pole, shaft,’ equivalent to Dutch spriet, ‘javelin, spear, bowsprit,’ whence Modern High German Spriet in Bugspriet. Compare further spritzen and Sprosse. No terms undoubtedly cognate are found in the non-Teutonic languages.