An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Beere

by Friedrich Kluge

Beere, f., ‘berry,’ from the plur. of the equiv. MidHG. bęr, OHG. bęri, n.; comp. Goth. *basi (only in weinabasi, n. grape; OSax. wînbęri). The OHG. r in bęri presupposes a Goth. bazi; to the s of the Goth. word Du. bes corresponds; in AS. bęrie, E. berry, the s has been changed into r. See, however, Besing. Foreign cognates are wanting; yet the Sans. root bhas, ‘to chew,’ is perhaps akin (Goth. basi, orig. ‘the edible substance’?); no connection with OHG. bëran, ‘to carry’ (see gebären), or Lat. bacca, ‘berry,’ is possible.